You would be hard-pressed to find someone who has never seen or deal with aggressive driving. While we might all have our own limits and descriptions of aggressive driving, the legal definition is any behind-the-wheel action that puts others at risk and in which the driver has no regard for the safety of others. This can be everything from risky behavior to actual violence.
Keep reading to learn more about aggressive driving and the role it often plays in car accidents. Then contact Law Offices of Michael A. Kahn at (310) 209-1600 if you have been involved in a car accident and require a free legal consultation with a personal injury attorney.
Examples of Aggressive Driving Behaviors
When a driver deliberately or negligently takes part in an unsafe driving behavior without concern for others, they can be guilty of aggressive driving. Some examples including tailgating, weaving in and out of traffic, flashing their headlights, passing on the shoulder, yelling, speeding, cutting off other vehicles, honking, using inappropriate gestures, not using a turn signal when changing lanes, not stopping at stop signs or traffic lights, and suddenly or erratically changing lanes.
Some forms of aggressive driving are more serious than others. These include bumping other vehicles, ramming into another vehicle, or brandishing a weapon while driving.
Aggressive Driving is More Common Than Many People Realize
Not only have you likely come across a person who was driving aggressively, but according to one large survey, 80% of drivers admit that they have expressed significant anger, road rage, or aggression behind the wheel at least one time in the last year. One study showed that more than half of fatal car accidents involve at least one aggressive driver.
How Aggressive Driving Causes Accidents
The study mentioned found that there were many ways an aggressive driver could cause an accident. This includes driving too fast, racing with other vehicles, driving while distracted, driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, not yielding, and not staying in the appropriate lane.
What to Do if You Come Across an Aggressive Driver
If you do come across an aggressive driver, stay calm and do not respond with aggression. Follow the laws of the road and ignore the aggressive driver as well as you can. Do not make eye contact with them. Do not make gestures at them. Avoid engaging with them at all. Your goal is to do your best to get out of the way safely.
If you are involved in an accident with an aggressive driver, and you are afraid for your safety, lock your doors and wait for the police to arrive. Once you have received the medical attention you need, contact an attorney for help. You can reach Law Offices of Michael A. Kahn at (310) 209-1600 now for a free legal consultation.
