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Aggressive driving laws are designed to ensure the safety of people driving on public roads. These laws vary from state to state and county to county, just like most other traffic laws do. However, there are a few common factors that can help you understand what these laws are and how they affect you regardless of where you plan to drive.
What Is Aggressive Driving?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, aggressive driving is “the operation of a motor vehicle in any manner that endangers (or is likely to endanger) persons or property.” That covers any unsafe driving behavior performed deliberately and with ill intention or disregard for public safety.
Aggressive driving is not to be confused with reckless driving. Although the two violations are quite similar and often have similar penalties, one key difference is that you cannot be charged with aggressive driving for accidentally breaking the law. However, you can be charged with reckless driving for breaking the law accidentally or through your own negligence.
Aggressive driving must be active and intention in order to lead to a conviction.
Examples of Aggressive Driving That Leads to Accidents
Aggressive driving takes on many different forms. On one end of the spectrum, it can be as obvious as the bouts of violent “road rage” we’ve all seen in viral videos. On the other end, however, it can be a little harder to identify.
Below are a few examples of violations that could contribute to or stem from an aggressive driving charge. In order for an aggressive driving charge to stick, the court must prove that you have committed at least two of the following (or similar) acts of aggressive driving:
- Speeding
Speeding alone is not likely to lead to an aggressive driving conviction. However, aggressive drivers almost always speed when committing aggressive driving.
- Tailgating
Aggressive drivers often “tailgate,” or commit the violation of “following too closely” behind the vehicle in front of them. This is likely to lead to accidents if the vehicle in front suddenly slows or stops.
- Running red lights
When you’re “seeing red,” all red lights and stop signs just kind of blend in. That’s a figure of speech often used to describe the tendency of aggressive drivers and road ragers to run red lights and stop signs.
- Weaving in and out of traffic
Making frequent unsafe or improper lane changes is a violation of the law in and of itself. When aggressive drivers are behind the wheel, this violation tends to become more common.
Aggressive Driving Penalties
The penalties for aggressive driving vary depending on the location in which the violation occurs. As a general rule of thumb, however, you can expect to face the following (or similar) penalties for an aggressive driving conviction:
- Fines of up to $1,000.
- Up to 90 days in jail.
- The suspension or revocation of your driver license.
- Massive increases to your insurance premiums.
- A permanent criminal record.
States that consider vehicles to be deadly weapons tend to impose significantly harsher penalties as well. If you are charged with assault with a deadly weapon or vehicular manslaughter in addition to aggressive driving, you may be facing the following additional penalties:
- Fines of up to $10,000.
- Between one and four years in prison.
How to Avoid an Aggressive Driver?
When it comes to dealing with aggressive drivers, there are a few tips and tricks that can help keep you safe and prevent an accident. Here are a handful of them:
Get out of the Way
If you spot in your rearview mirror an aggressive driver speeding up the road behind you, merge over into the right-hand lane so that they can more easily pass you without getting stuck behind you (which could further irritate the aggressive driver).
Put Your Pride aside
Nobody likes to be the victim of somebody else’s crime or anger. That said, you will be significantly safer if you avoid challenging the aggressive driver. Do not speed up or attempt to “hold your own” in the lane that the aggressive driver wants.
Avoid Eye Contact
Eye contact has been shown to have powerful emotional effects on people. When somebody is enraged, such as when they are committing aggressive driving, it is possible that any eye contact could turn you into the target of their aggression. Ignore any rude or combative gestures and do not return them.
Report Aggressive Driving
If you are the driver of a vehicle and you spot an aggressive driver putting others at risk, pull over when it is safe to do so and call the police to report them. If you are a passenger, you are legally allowed to use your vehicle to place the 911 call without first pulling over.
If the aggressive driver follows you, under no circumstances should you exit your vehicle to confront them.
Which Cities Have the Highest Amount of Aggressive Drivers?
Every city, large or small, has its fair share of aggressive drivers. But these are the top 10 most problematic cities when it comes to aggressive driving:
- Riverside—San Bernardino, California
- Tampa, Florida
- Phoenix, Arizona
- Orlando, Florida
- Miami, Florida
- Las Vegas, Nevada
- Fort Lauderdale, Florida
- Dallas—Fort Worth, Texas
- Kansas City, Missouri
- San Antonio, Texas
That’s right, although people often say that drivers in California and New York are the most aggressive, that is just plain not true. If you live in Florida, you had better be sure to remain vigilant when driving through just about any major city in the state.
How to Report Aggressive Driving
There are two ways to report aggressive driving: the emergency way and the non-emergency way. If you are in an emergency situation, call 911 immediately and attempt to escape to safety. If you are in a non-emergency situation, call #77 and report the aggressive driver.
Be sure not to use your cell phone to make any calls while driving if you are in a county or state in which doing so is illegal.
