Are Incidents of Aggressive Driving Increasing? Are YOU an Aggressive Driver?

On Aug. 22, a Winder man was at an intersection. 

A Marietta man reported  after he was momentarily distracted by an incoming phone call while driving near Dacula on Sept. 2.

Are drivers becoming more aggressive or are more individuals taking the time to report incidents such as these? According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, aggressive driving has become a serious problem and it's a "we know it when we see it" kind of situation. 

Have you ever asked yourself if you are an aggressive driver? Do you: 

• Express frustration? Taking out your frustrations on your fellow motorists can lead to violence or a crash.
• Fail to pay attention when driving? Reading, eating, drinking or talking on the phone, can be a major cause of roadway crashes.
• Tailgate? This is a major cause of crashes that can result in serious deaths or injuries.
• Make frequent lane changes? If you whip in and out of lanes to advance ahead, you can be a danger to other motorists.
• Run red lights? Do not enter an intersection on a yellow light. Remember flashing red lights should be treated as a stop sign.
• Speed? Going faster than the posted speed limit, being a “road racer” and going too fast for conditions are some examples of speeding.

The NHTSA suggests the following for drivers finding themselves answering yes to any of the questions above, particularly to plan ahead and allow yourself extra time to reach your destination. 

• Concentrate. Don’t allow yourself to become distracted by talking on your cellular phone, eating, drinking or putting on makeup.
• Relax. Tune the radio to your favorite relaxing music. Music can calm your nerves and help you to enjoy your time in the car.
• Drive the posted speed limit. Fewer crashes occur when vehicles are travelling at or about the same speed.
• Identify alternate routes. Try mapping out an alternate route. Even if it looks longer on paper, you may find it is less congested.
• Use public transportation. Public transportation can give you some much-needed relief from life behind the wheel.
• Just be late. If all else fails, just be late.

The following are tips when confronted by an aggressive driver: 

• Get out of the way. First and foremost make every attempt to get out of their way.
• Put your pride aside. Do not challenge them by speeding up or attempting to hold-your-own in your travel lane.
• Avoid eye contact. Eye contact can sometimes enrage an aggressive driver.
• Gestures. Ignore gestures and refuse to return them.
• Report serious aggressive driving. You or a passenger may call the police. But, if you use a cell phone, pull over to a safe location.

For more information, visit www.nhtsa.gov/Aggressive. 

Do you think more drivers are showing aggression on the roadways or are more people reporting incidents? Have you been confronted by an aggressive driver recently? Do you drive aggressively? Tell us in comments.

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