New Jersey’s roads are challenging enough to navigate without having to worry about other drivers acting irrationally. Of course, even if you follow the rules of the road, you may eventually encounter an angry motorist. If he or she brake checks, you may find yourself in the middle of a serious collision.
In the motorsports world, drivers often check their brakes to ensure they are working properly. While on the racetrack, slamming on brakes to test equipment may make sense. Unfortunately, drivers who are prone to road rage may use brake checking to retaliate against other motorists. As you may suspect, having someone in front of you hit the brakes hard may cause you to have a rear-end collision or spin out of control.
Whiplash
If your vehicle hits the back of another vehicle, you may develop whiplash. This soft-tissue injury occurs when your head jerks forward and backward. Unfortunately, though, you may not realize you have whiplash immediately. That is, the adrenaline your body produces to help you cope with the stress of an automobile collision may mask whiplash’s symptoms. As such, you should always seek emergency medical care if you have a rear-end crash.
Traumatic brain injuries
Concussions, bruises and other traumatic brain injuries may also occur during a brake check. If your vehicle quickly decelerates because of a collision or loss of control, your brain may continue to move after your skull stops moving. When your brain hits your skull, you may develop a traumatic brain injury.
Physical violence
As you may suspect, if a driver is angry enough to brake check you, he or she may remain angry after a rear-end collision. Trying to deal with an irate driver after an accident may put you at increased risk of physical violence. Therefore, rather than confronting a furious motorist, it is likely a better idea to call the police and let an experienced officer handle the matter.
With a bit of luck, you may never have to worry about having another driver brake check in front of your vehicle. Still, because this type of road rage can cause serious injuries, you should always leave a safe distance between your car and the ones in front of you.
