What is aggressive driving?
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet describes aggressive drivers as high-risk drivers who take their frustration out on anybody at any time on the road. Aggressive driving is hard to quantify. However, in 2009, American Automobile Association attempted to analyze data gathered by the track NHTSA’s Fatal Accident Report System (FARS). They found that aggressive driving contributed to 56% of deadly crashes from 2003 to 2007. In an annual survey, AAA also found that eight out of 10 drivers ranked aggressive driving as “serious” or “extremely serious” risk that jeopardizes their safety.
Reacting to aggressive drivers
You never know when you’ll encounter aggressive drivers. When you do, it’s best to avoid any commotion or arguments. Some ways to do this is to refrain from making eye contact with them and to not engage or provoke them. If you think a driver is a threat to public safety, you can report them to the police. Before you call the police, make sure to note their aggressive behavior and a description of their vehicle – license plate number, vehicle type and the location of where the incident occurred.
As a Kentucky Car Accident Attorney, I would like to emphasize the importance of staying calm behind the wheel. Whether you’ve had a bad day or are running late for a meeting, please don’t take it out on other drivers. I know we can’t avoid everything that irritates us, but we have to find ways to avoid them if we can. For example, if you know there is bad traffic on your usual route, try to find an alternate route or leave your location earlier than usual. This will hopefully allow you to avoid the bad traffic and give you more time to get to your destination. If you feel irritation taking over, try to take a few deep breaths and think about something else. This will help clear your mind. These are just a few simple tips to try, but they can help make you feel better. More importantly, they will help keep everyone safe on Kentucky roads.