Nearly 8 of every 10 U.S. drivers admit expressing anger, aggression or road rage at least once in the previous year, according to a survey released Thursday by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. A frightening statistic to process. An estimated 8 million drivers on the road engage in more extreme behaviors like bumping or ramming another vehicle on purpose, or getting out of their vehicle to engage in confrontation.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that about two-thirds of crash deaths involve aggressive driving, and men are 3X’s more likely than females to be aggressive or aggravated while on the road. Not to mention, aggressive driving was noted as a large contributing factor to the increase in fatal automobile accidents.
It is important to remember that as a driver, you cannot control another driver’s behavior, but you can control your own. Nearly 9 in 10 drivers saw aggressive driving as “a serious threat to their personal safety,” with the most common behavior being tailgated by another vehicle on purpose. The foundation’s research director, Jurek Grabowski, said that “Far too many drivers are losing themselves in the heat of the moment and lashing out in ways that could turn deadly.” Some other common behaviors consisted of drivers yelling at another vehicle or honking their horn, as well as angry gestures made towards another driver.
Learning how to deal with road rage can help you avoid the dangerous nightmare that often follows an aggressive road rage incident.
AAA offers these tips to help prevent road rage:
- Don’t be the Cause of Road Rage: Never cause another driver to change their speed or direction. That means not forcing another driver to use their brakes, or turn the steering wheel in response to something you have done.
- Be Tolerant and Forgiving: The other driver may just be having a really bad day or it was an honest mistake. Assume that it’s not personal.
- Do Not Respond: Avoid eye contact, don’t make gestures, maintain space around your vehicle and contact 9-1-1 if needed.
A rise in road rage and aggressive driving is concerning and it has become a major issue. If you or a loved one has been involved in an accident through no fault of your own, contact The Law Offices of Larry H. Parker today. We’ve helped hundreds of thousands of victims with their personal injury claims resulting from car accidents, and we can help you.
To schedule a free, confidential consultation with no obligation, contact us by phone at (800) 333-0000 or by email using our case submission form. Using our case submission form to submit your car accident case entitles you to a 10% attorney’s fee discount. The Law Offices of Larry H. Parker has offices in Long Beach, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, Bakersfield, and Fresno, California and in Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona to serve you. We’ll fight for you!®
