Road rage in Michigan is probably one of those topics that are rarely talked about. It is a very complex issue especially for the person who will be charged with a violation of road rage law in Michigan.
With that, we must talk about every legality that is related to this situation should you be the one facing it.
Road Rage Numbers In Michigan
In the year 2021 alone, the number of road rage cases has become detrimentally high. The numbers are showing that there have already been around more than 300 cases of road rage and this accounts for 56% of all fatal car accidents.
Imagine this scenario
You are simply driving down the road and the driving behavior of an aggressive driver that is combined with stress or anger causes them to lose their good judgment. What do you think will happen?
Here at Haque Legal, we are always on the side of our clients. The best way that we can show that we are on their side is by making sure that they know how to fight for their rights and that they know what they need to do if the situation happens to them.
With that, let us begin answering some questions that you may have about road rage in Michigan.
What is road rage?
If you have been watching a lot of movies about people going on a road rage you probably already have an idea of what it is. The actions that can be considered as road rage are very different depending on the circumstances of the person doing it. The results, however, are the same – a tragic accident, a catastrophic collision, or lives lost. If the person who went on road rage is lucky enough he would only cause some property damage and maybe injury to himself. However, this is not the case.
Road rage is the unsafe and aggressive driving that comes with a reckless disregard for the safety of the other people that you are sharing the road with. It is a combination of a lot of things such as reckless driving or aggressive driving or it may also come with the deliberate intention to harm another driver, intimidate another individual or cause fear to the people on the road.
Is there a road rage-specific Michigan Law?
In the state of Michigan, there is no road rage-specific law to speak of. There are however specific acts that you can do that would lead to road reach and that would then lead to different crimes and different feelings that come with very serious penalties.
What are the crimes that one would be charged with road rage?
If you did some specific acts that are relating to road rage, you will find that you may be found guilty of the following crimes:
Assault with a dangerous weapon
In the right circumstances, your vehicle can be considered a dangerous weapon and can result in a Southfield weapons charge. Where the driver uses the vehicle to cause serious physical harm, serious physical injury, or death to another person he is considered guilty of an assault with a dangerous weapon.
It is punishable by up to four years in prison for 10 years in prison for life imprisonment depending on the kind of damage and injury that you caused or that was caused to another person.
Intentional Discharge of a Firearm From A Motor Vehicle
There are some instances where the use of a firearm in a motor vehicle is already harmful enough. If you add the fact that you intentionally discharged the firearm from a motor vehicle, you will find that it is punished very seriously in the State of Michigan. You may be facing 15 years in prison for causing injury to another person or even up to 20 years in prison.
Reckless Driving
The willful or wanton disregard for the safety of other persons or property is a felony punishable in the state of Michigan by up to five years in prison if it causes serious impairment of a body function to another person.
There are also other felonies relating to road rage that may be charged against you.
- There is wrongful death if you caused death to another person or you hit a pregnant woman while you are in one of your episodes of road rage.
- You may be charged with felony firearms if you have been caught in road rage while carrying a weapon.
- There is also the possibility that you are made the subject of a search because you have given the police authorities enough reason to check out your behavior and try to find a specific reason for it.
In this case, you need to always be careful while you are on the road. There is more information that is available for you about road rage. Let us look at them in the next part of this article series.
Are you the victim of road rage?
If you are the victim of road rage that resulted in injury, you need a Southfield personal injury lawyer on your side.
A lawyer can help you get started with your claim. A lawyer at Haque Legal will see to it that your needs are met from beginning to the end of the proceedings. You are always in good hands with Haque Legal and what it has to offer.
Disclaimer:
The article that you have read is based on general applications of the law. It is not legal advice and it is not to be construed as any legal consultation with the firm. No client-attorney relationship is created when you read the articles we have provided.
Let us help you out.
If you are having trouble with filing an insurance claim or going after someone who caused you harm because of road rage, call us immediately. If you have any problem with the law or are seeking justice and truth, our Southfield criminal defense attorneys are standing by to take your call.
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