Road Rage Incidents Continue to Plague Michigan Drivers: Here’s How You Can Remain Safe in a Confrontation

A couple of years ago, when the COVID-19 pandemic was still raging across Michigan, we discussed yet another growing danger plaguing the state: numerous frightening incidents of road rage. Angry motorists were taking out their freeway frustrations on fellow drivers in ever-increasing numbers, resulting in accidents, injuries, arrests, and even fatal shootings. Sadly, the situation has only become worse since then.

Now, as summer’s heat returns, it’s time to remind ourselves that dramatic displays of fireworks belong in the skies overhead – not on our public highways. So, let’s take a few minutes to talk about the astounding growth of Michigan’s road rage problem, and some possible ways to stay safer if you encounter an infuriated motorist. First, consider just a few scary examples of recent rage episodes that have taken place on local roads:

• From CBS Detroit – Just a couple of weeks ago, around lunchtime on June 20 to be exact, the TV station reported that authorities were “investigating after a Detroit police officer was shot at in what is described as a road rage incident on Interstate 94. Michigan State Police say the incident happened at about 12:30 p.m. near Gratiot Avenue.”
• Fox2 Detroit – Revenge was a possible motive when, on May 1, “’a truck driver was arrested after a road rage incident where he allegedly fired several shots at a passenger car that he was involved in a traffic crash with earlier in the evening,’ police said. Michigan State Police shut down I-96 at I-94 to investigate the shooting incident. Eastbound lanes were blocked for several hours while officers searched for casings. The semi-truck driver was also possibly intoxicated during the incident, according to preliminary information posted by police.”
• From Patch.com –  This hyper-local news source covered the story of a 41-year-old Royal Oak man who was arrested April 17 after “he pointed a gun at another driver during a road rage incident. Michigan State Police said that the man, who is facing charges and who has not yet been identified publicly by police, pointed the gun at another driver following an altercation just before 7:30 p.m. on I-75 near Fort Street.”
• From Fox News – A Michigan man made national headlines due to a dramatic incident where he “drove more than 100 miles per hour before crashing into a motorcycle during a road rage incident. According to the Macomb County Sheriff’s Department, Mark Nichter, 52, of Eastpointe, was driving his Dodge Ram on Saturday, April 15, when he began fighting with a motorcycle with two riders on it. Nichter allegedly followed the motorcycle leading up to the collision which left the motorcycle stuck to the pick-up truck after impact.”
• From The Detroit News – In an ironic twist, a Detroit fire department medic, whose job is to help save lives, has been “charged in connection with an alleged road rage incident this month in Redford Township while off-duty. Keshia Hamilton was arraigned Wednesday through 17th District Court on nine counts, including felony firearm and assault with intent to murder. Hamilton is accused of firing a gun at another vehicle around 7:45 a.m. March 17 near Beech Daly and Davison, township police said in a statement Wednesday. Her (Hamilton’s) daughter was in the car at the time, WDIV-TV (Channel 4) reported.”
• From WMMT Kalamazoo – Road rage cases aren’t limited to the metro Detroit area, as this report from West Michigan proves: “Two men could face charges after a case of road rage resulted in a two-car crash along I-94, according to Michigan State Police. The incident happened April 10 at 8:55 a.m. in Comstock Township when a 22-year-old Illinois man allegedly cut off a 42-year-old Portage man driving a pickup truck while traveling east on I-94, a preliminary investigation revealed. The pickup truck driver then tailgated the 22-year-old, and both began to drive recklessly, troopers said. Both drivers ultimately crashed into each other. Witnesses reported seeing both men fighting in the middle of I-94 after the crash, troopers said.”

These Michigan Incidents Are Frightening…but National Road Rage Numbers Are Downright Terrifying

Car insurance comparison website the Zebra cites numerous statistics that demonstrate how road rage has developed into a growing problem across the entire country. For instance, over the past decade, their research shows that road rage incidents have increased a staggering 500 percent nationally. Amazingly, more than 80 percent of American drivers admitted to committing acts of road rage in a recent survey. The most common aggressive behavior mentioned is tailgating, which 51 percent of drivers confess they’ve done. Nearly one in three drivers also say they have purposely prevented another vehicle from merging on a highway (see our recent article about this topic), while a similar number admit to forcing their way into traffic flow. Beyond raising the ire of fellow motorists, these irresponsible and illegal actions can cause such car accidents such as side swiping or rear ending, and also lead to serious injury to another person or even result in wrongful death. Perhaps most frightening of all, Bankrate.com states that since 2020, gun-related road rage deaths have doubled compared to pre-pandemic numbers.How to Avoid Getting Injured in a Road Rage Situation

As you probably learned in kindergarten, being courteous and empathetic to others can help. A University of Michigan psychology professor advises drivers to provide other motorists with visual cues such as a polite wave or a mouthed apology to help low potential flaring tempers on the freeways. Using defensive driving techniques, such as avoiding tailgating and minimizing unnecessary use of your car’s horn, might also help you stay safer. So can traveling at times when traffic is lighter or avoiding driving through construction zones whenever you can. Yes, we know that’s nearly impossible in Michigan these days, but taking the road less traveled is a good strategy if you are able to do it! One way to cut time wasted in construction areas and to skip out of accident-related traffic jams is to use MDOT’s MiDrive interactive mapping system which can help you find alternative routes and avoid major road projects. Among other things, MiDrive provides live tracking of current highway speeds and construction projects, along with links to online roadway cameras and ongoing traffic incidents. Navigations apps like Waze, Google Maps, and Apple Maps can be of great use as well.

Another way to stay safer is to use several time-tested techniques suggested by DriversEd.com to defuse the situation if you should ever find yourself facing a raging motorist. By slowing your car and moving over to the right, attempting not to make eye contact with an angry driver, and monitoring your own tendency to become aggressive in response, you can help prevent a small incident from escalating into full-blown road rage. The experts also recommend that it’s never a good idea to put yourself in harm’s way by getting out of your vehicle. Instead, we suggest driving to a local police station, which makes it likely the aggressor will flee in a hurry.

What Happens if You Get Hurt in a Road Rage Situation?

Being seriously injured in a road rage incident can be devastating. But you don’t have to suffer in silence; you can receive satisfaction now by taking the culprit to court with our help. If you or someone you love are ever victimized in a road rage incident, after calling 911 to report the incident, there’s one more number you should dial right away: 855-MIKE-WINS (855-645-3946). It’s a direct connection to our team of legal professionals who stand ready, willing, and able to take on your case and take the offender to court. Call us right away or contact us online whenever you need us. We promise to do our best to help you make things right, and to get you the compensation you deserve for the pain and suffering they’ve caused you to experience.

Content checked by Mike Morse, personal injury attorney with Mike Morse Injury Law Firm. Mike Morse is the founder of Mike Morse Law Firm, the largest personal injury law firm in Michigan. Since being founded in 1995, Mike Morse Law Firm has grown to 150 employees, served 25,000 clients, and collected more than $1 billion for victims of auto, truck and motorcycle accidents. The main office is in Southfield, MI but you can also find us in Detroit, Sterling Heights and many other locations.