Aggressive Driving: Causes and Prevention

According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), aggressive driving is seen as the primary cause of auto accidents in the United States. The agency said that 56 percent of auto accident deaths were because of aggressive driving behaviors. This was seen as one of the outstanding factors why 32,885 people were killed in 2010 due to road crashes.

For the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), aggressive driving is defined as an occurrence in which a motorist performs a certain or a combination of “moving traffic offenses” that may “endanger other persons or property.”

An aggressive driving behavior can be any one or a combination of the following:

• Venting out emotions while driving;
• Getting distracted by another activity or an event worth seeing while driving;
• Following too closely on rear-end of the preceding vehicle or tailgating;
• Frequently changes lanes which may obstruct the flow of traffic, as well as threaten motorists who are moving only on a certain lane;
• Crossing the intersection at fast speed with no regard to the traffic light; or
• Exceeding the posted speed limit of a certain thoroughfare.

Drivers possessing aggressive behavior while behind wheel can actually prevent themselves from doing such acts that can endanger not only their lives but other’s lives as well. Here are things that they can do to eliminate the possibility of an accident:

• Focus on the road. As much as possible, drivers must save any other activities such as texting for later after they reached their destination.
• Listen to music. Turning on the car stereo or a CD player at the right volume can calm drivers’ nerves while driving.
• Follow the posted speed limit of a certain road.
• Look for alternative routes. This is good especially for drivers who are enraged on slow-moving traffic.
• Commute. Probably the best way to avoid aggressive driving is not to drive for a while.

A motorist who is a victim of someone else’s aggressive driving behavior can file a personal injury claim against him or her if injuries are present. The injured motorist can pursue the claim with the help of a Los Angeles automobile accident attorney.