Stopping Aggressive Driving

While most of us are quick to criticize the driving of other motorists, it’s often our own driving

that puts ourselves most at risk. Recognizing and curbing aggressive driving behaviors will help

individual motorists and drivers who operate motor vehicles for a living reduce their chance of

having an accident. Traffic school programs can help drivers curb these behaviors.

What Is Aggressive Driving?

Aggressive driving is a term used to describe a method of driving that his highly erratic, very

dangerous, and drastically increases the chance of an accident. The National Traffic Highway

Safety Administration estimates that about 66 percent of all crashes each year are caused by

aggressive driving.

Some common aggressive driving behaviors identified in traffic school classes include:

● Speeding ● Blocking other drivers from changing lanes ● Following other drivers too closely ● Failing to signal lane changes to other drivers ● Honking at other drivers to get them to speed up or move out of a lane ● Making obscene gestures to other drivers ● Using high beam headlights to blind other drivers ● Weaving in and out of traffic in a reckless manner

State Penalties

Many state legislatures throughout the U.S. have legally defined aggressive driving and passed

laws to penalize the behavior. Typically, these laws require that drivers demonstrate more than

one aggressive driving behavior to be subject to penalties.

Fifteen U.S. states have adopted aggressive driving laws. Definitions and penalties may vary

from state to state. Motorists and fleet managers should keep current on these laws to avoid

potential fines and penalties.

Breaking the Habit

If you or a driver you know exhibit aggressive driving behaviors, breaking these bad habits

cannot just prevent trouble with the law or employers, it may just save a life. Traffic school

classes encourage defensive driving practices, such as:

● Obeying speed limits ● Leaving plenty of room between your vehicle and those ahead of you ● Using traffic signals to let other drivers know when you’re changing lanes ● Avoiding confrontation with other drivers ● Remaining calm when operating a motor vehicle

For those interested in curbing aggressive driving habits, defensive driving courses offered in

programs, such as those offered by the National Traffic Safety Institute, can help. The company

offers relevant and engaging training programs for drivers that will help them make the positive

changes they need to become better, safer drivers. Companies employing drivers can often obtain

lower insurance rates by having their drivers take these courses.

There are more than 6.8 million motor vehicle crashes in the U.S. each year. Getting involved in

an accident will not just damage your car and increase your insurance rates, it could also cause

serious injury or death to you, someone you care about, or someone loved by others. Defensive

driving courses offered in traffic school can help drivers curb aggressive behaviors and reduce

their risk of accident.