As a driver, monitoring your emotions and behaviors behind the wheel is critical to keeping the roads safe for everyone. Aggressive driving has become an epidemic, putting you and others at risk of car accidents. Speeding, tailgating, unsafe lane changes, and other hostile actions dramatically increase the chance of accidents and road rage. New research explores the relationship between aggressive driving habits and crash risk. The results highlight the need for drivers to check their tempers and make conscious efforts to drive calmly. Small individual changes can have a big impact on improving public safety. This article will examine the data and provide actionable tips for keeping your cool and driving defensively. Making the roads less confrontational starts with your own habits.
Defining Aggressive Driving
Impatience and Hostility
Aggressive driving is characterized by impatience, anger, and hostility. Drivers who exhibit aggressive behaviors show a disregard for safety and courtesy. These behaviors include tailgating, excessive speeding, frequent and improper lane changes, failure to signal, and failure to yield. According to studies, the most common forms of aggressive driving are cutting off other vehicles, tailgating, and gesturing at other drivers.
Causes of Aggressive Driving
There are several factors that can contribute to aggressive driving behaviors. These include stress, frustration, and anonymity. Many drivers feel a sense of anonymity in their vehicles, which can embolden aggressive tendencies. Lack of enforcement of traffic laws is also a contributing factor. Aggressive drivers often do not fear punishment for reckless and dangerous driving.
Prevalence of the Problem
Aggressive driving has become an increasing problem. Surveys indicate that the majority of drivers have either been victims of aggressive driving or have engaged in such behaviors themselves at some point. Aggressive driving is estimated to be a factor in over half of all fatal vehicle accidents. It endangers vehicle occupants, pedestrians, and other drivers alike.
Call for Action
More must be done to curb aggressive driving behaviors and promote road safety. Law enforcement should strictly enforce traffic laws and hand out appropriate penalties. Public awareness campaigns highlighting the dangers of aggressive driving may also be helpful. Ultimately, reducing stress and allowing extra travel time can help prevent individual drivers from engaging in hostility and recklessness behind the wheel. Promoting patience and courtesy among all road users is key to resolving this issue.
Common Aggressive Driving Behaviors
Tailgating
Tailgating refers to driving too close to the vehicle in front of you. At high speeds, tailgating severely reduces your reaction time in the event the lead vehicle brakes suddenly. According to studies, tailgating is a contributing factor in over 10% of all crashes. Maintaining a safe following distance of 3 to 4 seconds travel time between you and other vehicles can help prevent this dangerous behavior.
Excessive Speeding
Speeding, especially going 10 miles per hour or more over the posted speed limit, is a common aggressive driving behavior. Higher speeds reduce your ability to control your vehicle and the faster you go, the longer it takes to stop. Excessive speeding also greatly increases the severity of any resulting crash. Obeying posted speed limits and reducing your speed for road conditions is the safest approach.
Cutting Off Other Vehicles
Another behavior is deliberately cutting off other vehicles by improperly changing lanes in front of other drivers. This dangerous maneuver startles other drivers and can easily lead to a crash. Changing lanes only when there is ample room and once you have properly signaled your intention is the courteous and safe approach.
Expressing Anger
Aggressive behaviors are often accompanied by expressions of anger, rage or frustration. Yelling, gesturing, honking and flashing high beams at other drivers are all expressions of anger that serve no purpose and can escalate tensions. It is always best to remain calm and courteous, even if you feel other drivers have made a mistake or bad decision. Do not engage or escalate the situation. Stay focused on your own driving.
How Aggressive Driving Increases Accident Risk
Aggressive driving behaviors significantly increase your risk of being in an accident.
Speeding
Exceeding the posted speed limit reduces your ability to react in time to avoid a collision and increases the severity of an accident. For every 10 miles per hour over 50 mph, the risk of death in a crash doubles.
Tailgating
Driving too closely to the vehicle in front of you gives you insufficient time to stop if that vehicle brakes suddenly. At higher speeds, you need even more distance between you and other vehicles to react in time.
Improper Lane Changes
Switching lanes abruptly or without signaling your intent endangers vehicles around you and can easily lead to sideswipe collisions or chain reaction accidents.
Disregarding Traffic Controls
Ignoring stop signs, red lights, and other traffic controls puts you and others at high risk of a t-bone collision or multi-vehicle crash in an intersection.
Aggressive driving is dangerous, against the law, and can have tragic consequences. Reducing speed, maintaining a safe following distance, properly signaling lane changes, and obeying all traffic controls are effective ways to curb aggressive driving behaviors, improve safety for all road users, and avoid preventable crashes. Practicing patience and courtesy behind the wheel will create a less stressful driving experience for you and others sharing the road.
Penalties for Aggressive Driving in Texas
Legal Consequences
In Texas, aggressive driving is illegal and subject to legal penalties. Offenders may face fines, license suspension, and even jail time for repeat offenses or incidents that cause injury or property damage. Minor aggressive driving offenses typically warrant a traffic ticket and fine between $200 to $500. However, acts such as intentionally causing an accident, ramming another vehicle, or threatening another driver can lead to criminal charges for reckless driving.
License Suspension
Aggressive drivers who rack up multiple offenses may face temporary suspension of their driver's license, typically 3-6 months. The licensing agency will also add penalty points to the driver's record, which can impact insurance rates. Serious or repeat offenders may face license revocation for up to 2 years. Without a valid license, the aggressive driver will not be permitted to legally operate a motor vehicle.
Jail Time and Community Service
In cases where aggressive driving results in injury, property damage, or criminal reckless driving charges, the offending driver may face potential jail time, typically up to 6 months for a first offense. The court may also order the driver to perform community service, such as picking up litter along highways, as punishment. For subsequent offenses, jail sentences and penalties escalate.
Insurance Rate Hikes
Aggressive driving offenses and accidents can significantly impact auto insurance rates. Insurance companies view these drivers as higher risk, so they will likely face premium surcharges over the next 3-5 years. Multiple infractions can increase rates by up to 100% or cause insurers to drop coverage altogether. The costs of higher premiums and finding new insurance can be quite substantial.
The legal and financial consequences of aggressive driving behaviors in Texas are severe. Obeying traffic laws, sharing the road courteously with other drivers, and maintaining control of your emotions can help avoid aggressive driving and ensure safe travel for all.
What to Do After an Accident Caused by an Aggressive Driver - Contact a Texas Car Accident Lawyer
Seek Medical Attention
If you or your passengers have suffered any injuries, seek medical care immediately. Your health and safety should be your top priority. Get evaluated right away, as some injuries may not seem serious at first but could worsen over time without proper treatment.
Call the Police
Report the accident to the local police department and file an official police report documenting the details of the incident. Provide information about the aggressive driver and any witnesses to the events leading up to and including the accident. The police report will be important evidence for your insurance claim and any potential legal action.
Exchange Information
Exchange contact and insurance information with the other driver, even if fault seems obviously theirs. Their insurance provider will need the details of the accident to process your claim. Take photos of their license plate, driver's license, and insurance card in case the other driver leaves the scene or provides false information.
Contact Your Insurance Provider
Call your insurance company as soon as possible to report the accident and file a claim. Provide them with a copy of the police report and any other details about the circumstances of the crash. If the other driver's aggression clearly caused the accident, their insurance should cover costs for damage and injury. However, your insurance may still need to be involved, especially if the other driver denies fault or is uninsured.
Consult with a Car Accident Attorney
Speaking with an attorney experienced in car accident and personal injury law is advisable, especially if your claim is denied or you have suffered serious harm. They can investigate the details of the accident, deal with insurance companies on your behalf, and pursue legal action against the aggressive driver if necessary. An attorney can also help ensure you receive fair compensation for medical bills, vehicle damage, pain and suffering, and other losses resulting from the crash.
Conclusion
While aggressive driving may seem like an effective way to reach your destination faster, the risks far outweigh any potential benefits. Not only do you endanger yourself with risky maneuvers, but you threaten the safety of every other driver on the road. Instead of driving aggressively, leave a few minutes early, practice patience on the road, and set a positive example for other drivers. By following the rules of the road, exhibiting courteous behaviors and consulting with a car accident attorney from lawyers at Fletcher Law you can improve safety for all while decreasing your own accident risk. While it may take concentrated effort to change aggressive habits, the rewards of safe driving extend far beyond your own vehicle.