Thousands of traffic collisions occur on a daily basis. The commonly used phrase “accident” is used very loosely. In fact, it is used all too frequently, given the fact that 93 percent of all traffic crashes are the result of human error, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. This means that only seven percent of collisions are truly accidents and deemed unavoidable given the circumstances. In all other scenarios, one or multiple parties were engaged in negligent behavior. Behavior that broke the obligation of duty of care that all road users owe one another. Speeding, texting, and driving under the influence of alcohol are all considered negligent actions when they cause a collision. So too is aggressive driving. In fact, more collisions than you probably think are caused by drivers engaged in aggressive behaviors. If you or a loved one were injured by a driver with road rage or who was driving aggressively, contact an experienced car collision attorney today.
Over Half of Drivers Admit to Engaging in Aggressive Retaliation
While the most likely aggressive drivers are young, teenage males, when asked, over half of all drivers admitted to retaliating aggressively when they felt another driver maneuvered their car, honked, or flashed their lights in an aggressive manner, according to Safe Motorist. This leads one to question what type of thought process is going in on the head of the retaliating driver. If safety is their utmost concern, they would not retaliate and escalate the situation. It seems that getting even is more important to many drivers today. While being slighted is never a positive experience, being involved in a serious collision is infinitely worse. 66 percent of all fatal traffic collisions are caused by aggressive driving, which is something that everyone should consider the next time an aggressive driver does something to provocative.
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Defining Aggressive Driving
What constitutes aggressive driving anyways? The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, describes aggressive driving as committing “moving traffic offenses so as to endanger other persons or property; an assault with a motor vehicle or other dangerous weapon by the operator or passenger of one motor vehicle on the operator or passengers of another motor vehicle.” While only two percent of drivers admit to attempting to run someone off the road (which is actually a shockingly high number) many more engage in less hostile, though still incredibly dangerous aggressive driving. Signs of an aggressive driver include:
- Headlight flashing;
- Honking;
- Tailgating;
- Use of hand gestures;
- Swerving to intimidate;
- Carrying a firearm;
- Changing lanes frequently;
- Changing lanes quickly and/or without warning;
- Making lane changes or turns without using turn signals; and
- Talking or text with cell phones.
Deep Breathes Are Your First Line of Defense
As silly as it sounds, the best thing you can do to protect yourself and your family when another driver engages in aggressive driving or road rage is to take a few slow, deep breathes. This helps deliver oxygen to your brain and stifle your body’s natural reaction to stress, which is to go into fight or flight mode. With a clear head, you can make better, safer, and more rational decisions. If you or a loved one were injured by an aggressive driver, contact an experienced Georgia car accident attorney at the Law Offices of Roger Ghai, P.C. today.
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