The AZ Department of Public Safety defines Aggressive Driving as a progression of unlawful driving actions such as: speeding, improper or excessive lane changing, failing to signal intent such as changing a lane, failing to check that a movement can be made safely, improper passing by using an emergency lane or passing on the shoulder.
Defining Aggressive Driving Further
Here are some additional aspects of a aggressive driving.
An “aggressive driver” often hides behind the anonymity of being behind the wheel. This gives aggressive drivers a false sense of control and power. And therefore they seldom take into account the consequences of their actions and how it can impact the other people on the road.
Aggressive Driving Compared to Road Rage
Though it might not seem this way, there is a difference between the two. Aggressive driving is a traffic offense and road rage is a criminal offense. Road rage is defined as “an assault with a motor vehicle or other dangerous weapon by the operator or passenger(s) of another motor vehicle or an assault precipitated by an incident that occurred on a roadway.”
Public Support for Enforcement of Aggressive Driving and Road Rage
Approximately 6,335,000 crashes occur in the United States each year, according to NHTSA’s Traffic Safety Facts 1998. While it’s unknown exactly how many of those crashes were caused by aggressive driving, estimates indicate the percentage to be substantial. This estimation is based on reported violations committed by the drivers of the vehicles involved in the crashes and the reported contributing factor of the crash. A NHTSA sponsored national survey of 6,000 drivers over the age of sixteen showed that the public supports increased enforcement as a way to reduce unsafe driving practices. This includes photo enforcement, increase of sanctions, increasing intervention by vehicle occupants and increasing public awareness of risks.
If you’ve suffered from a motor vehicle accident as a result of aggressive driving or road rage, you need the expert advice of motor vehicle accident attorneys such as those at Personal Injury Attorneys PLLC.
