After Crash on I-5 Freeway in Orange County, Police Witness Apparent Road-rage Incident

This morning, two vehicles collided on the southbound I-5 freeway, blocking traffic around 10:15 a.m. in Anaheim. The crash, which occurred near Orangewood Avenue, may have ignited a road-rage incident, authorities said as reported by The Orange County Register.

A traffic jam in Poland.
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Michael Steiner, a California Highway Patrol officer, said two vehicles collided, and there was a possibility that a third vehicle was involved in the accident.

Responders examined a woman who had been driving a Toyota Camry, one of the vehicles involved in the accident. They treated and released her. The person who had been driving a Mercedes Benz was transported by ambulance to the hospital.

The Register reports that as CHP officers were examining the crash site, officers with Costa Mesa police drove nearby and saw what appeared to be a road-rage incident. Costa Mesa Sergeant Paul Beckman said detectives who were returning from an investigation stepped in to stop the argument, which appeared to have been sparked by frustration with congestion due to the crash.

Beckman said one of the people involved in the confrontation became upset, The Register reports. One man was detained by Costa Mesa police, Beckman said, and the incident is being investigated.

Road rage was first identified in Los Angeles, California in the 1980s by journalists at the KTLA news station. It started after there was a series of shootings from 1987-1988 on the Californian freeways of the I-405, the 110 and the 10. This prompted the AAA to publish the first series of small pieces of advice about how to deal with road rage and aggressive driving.

The most common manifestations of road rage are moves such as sudden acceleration, braking and tailgating. Sometimes angry drivers will target specific drivers on the road that have caused their anger by sending them rude gestures such as “the finger” or following them and flashing their lights and shouting.

Occasionally, road rage drivers will engage in risky behavior such as traveling at extremely high speeds or intentionally causing collisions to attempt to injure the other person.

There have also been incidents when angry drivers have actually stopped their cars and confronted and assaulted other bicyclists, pedestrians, or drivers.

In the United States, there are approximately 300 cases of road rage per year that result in severe injuries and fatalities. A total of 1,200 incidents occur every year.

Each state deals with road rage and aggressive driving under different laws, so if you have been injured by an angry driver, then it is important to hire a lawyer who understands the complexities of the laws.

Car accidents are one of the leading causes of death in the United States today, and the majority of Americans will be involved in one during their lifetime. We are a law office committed to helping you win the compensation that you deserve if you are negatively impacted by a painful car crash. Our car accident lawyer has more than 20 years’ experience dealing with insurance companies and other negligent parties that do not want to give you your necessary reimbursement. We have locations throughout California, including offices in Orange County, Los Angeles, San Diego, Bakersfield, San Francisco, San Jose and Sacramento. Call an Orange County car accident lawyer today for your free evaluation!

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