Aggressive Driving – General Driver Safety
We have all heard of the term “road rage”, and chances are that many of us have personally experienced it at some point. It’s not uncommon to be on the road with someone driving over-aggressively who follows you too closely, swerves and cuts you off, without even realizing they were putting other lives at risk, and also breaking the law.
If you’re not sure if your fellow driver (or you!) is driving aggressively, here is a list of some of the most common dangerous driving actions defined by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA):
- Following too closely (aka “tailgating”)
Not only irritating to other drivers, but also dangerous. Rear-end collisions account for 28% of crashes, and can result in serious injuries[1]. - Speeding
Georgia safe driving laws are cracking down on speeding, as there is an average of one speed-related death every day in the state[2]. - Passing on the right lane.
- Unsafe or blind lane changes.
- Failure to use signals.
- Ignoring traffic signals.
This includes stop signs, yield signs, traffic lights, construction zones, school bus lights in drop-off zones, and more. - Intentionally impeding the flow of traffic.
It can sometimes be hard to know if you or your fellow drivers are really driving dangerously. After all, it’s normal to sometimes become frustrated while behind the wheel, but it’s important to not let it get out of hand and endanger yourself or others. Here at iRideSafe™, we want everyone to be safe on the roads and get home safely to their loved ones. So the next time you feel like you’re getting irritated while driving, keep these things in mind:
- Take a few deep breaths.
- Turn down your radio or switch to a more relaxing station.
- Eliminate any distractions, such as cell phones, disruptive passengers, eating, drinking, or anything else that could cause you to lose focus on the road ahead.
- Check your speed and remember to obey posted speed limits.
- Practice defensive driving - this means being fully aware of your surroundings and ready to move out of the way of an aggressive driver.
- Never engage with an aggressive driver, but focus on protecting your own life.
- If someone is seriously driving dangerously, get their car information and license plate # before pulling over to call police.
- Never do anything to intentionally harass, annoy, obstruct, or intimidate other drivers.
It can be tough out there on the roads these days, but we can all agree that we need fewer aggressive drivers, not more of them. Remember to stay calm and focus on keeping yourself and your passengers safe.
We invite you to check out our other driver safety topics, videos and handouts. At iRideSafe™, we are committed to making our Georgia roads as safe as they can be!
For more information regarding state laws in Georgia, click here:
http://ghsa.org/html/stateinfo/bystate/ga.html
Cited Sources:
[1] Department of Transportation (U.S.), National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), “Aggressive Driving” Stop Aggressive Driving. Washington (DC). [cited 2016 March 25]. Available at URL: http://www.nhtsa.gov/Aggressive
[2].Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (GOHS). Super Speeder Law, “State ‘Super Speeder Law’ Gets Tough on Illegal Speeders”. [cited 2016 March 25]. Available at URL: http://www.gahighwaysafety.org/campaigns/super-speeder-law/
Other Resources