islandpacket.com - The Island Packet Online

Search Everything in the Lowcountry and the Coastal Empire.

New laws won't remedyage-old problem on roads

Statutes already on books to deal with driving that turns violent

Add Comment

Perhaps the saddest story published recently was that of a 79-year-old man assaulted in the parking lot of a local shopping center.

Why the attack? He told police the man who hit him had tailgated him for miles down U.S. 278 before accosting him in the parking lot. The victim said he had been driving below the posted speed limit, but his attacker had opportunities to pass him. The man yelled at the 79-year-old and then punched him in the face before leaving. Police say they intend to charge the man with high-and-aggravated assault if he's caught.

A similar incident occurred in February in the parking lot of Belfair Towne Center, where a 47-year-old woman had her nose broken by a man who hit her after she slammed on her brakes earlier to avoid hitting him on U.S. 278. The driver of the other vehicle followed her into the parking lot, called her a derogatory name and punched her in the face, then drove away. He later was fined $1,400 and spent a day in jail.

These stories hit close to home because we've all been in similar situations. We've had close encounters with aggressive drivers, become angry ourselves at a stupid move by another driver.

That's why it's tempting to say put another law on the books that would allow someone to be cited specifically for road rage.

But what makes one incident a minor driving inconvenience or traffic violation and others a dangerous assault is the reaction of the people involved, and there are laws on the books to handle that.

"With road rage, what you're describing is anger," said 14th Judicial Circuit Solicitor Duffie Stone. "Motorists do something because they are mad. But what they do, that's the issue."

Beaufort County Sheriff P.J. Tanner said many charges are available to cover actions resulting from road rage. In the case of the two recent incidents, the crime is assault.

"Road rage is a loss of temper," Tanner said. "It's really no different than getting into a discussion with someone and it getting to the point where you lose your temper and strike them. There's enough (charges) to cover it."

Experts say that what often is called "road rage" is aggressive driving.

Road rage, they say, originates because of poor, careless or risky driving. The most aggravating behaviors include failing to signal, driving too slowly, and especially in the passing lane, pulling out without looking, following closely, obscene language, competitive merging, deliberate obstruction, changing lanes and cutting off drivers.

People who resort to violence as a result of driving incidents often are predisposed to violence, experts say.

Many times, the victim unintentionally or unwittingly angers the offender, but the offender usually takes the incident as a personal affront. Sometimes the aggressive driver is the victim of someone who takes affront at their bad driving.

Crowded roads and impatient people -- something we seem to have an abundance of around here -- are a dangerous combination.

What will help? More enforcement of existing traffic laws, help from witnesses to identify offenders, better driving all around, and a big dose of patience and old-fashioned good manners from all of us.