Let App WinIt fight your ticket.

Patience is a virtue—especially while behind the wheel. Impatient behavior can cause a long list of problems both for yourself and others, including the suspension of your license or even your death.

After all, there’s a reason insurance companies offer safe driver discounts and not impatient driver discounts. 

The Dangers of Impatient Drivers

Impatient drivers can be just as dangerous as distracted drivers. Whereas distracted drivers get tickets and cause accidents by not paying attention to the road, impatient drivers do so by letting their emotions get the best of them. When tempers rise, so do ticket prices.

Emotional and impatient drivers are more likely to commit traffic violations than safe drivers are. When it comes to beating a ticket, the best thing you can do is maintain composure while driving. A calm, cool, and collected mind makes for safe, ticket-free driving. On the other hand, an impatient, turbulent driver is more likely to commit traffic violations like those listed below:

Speeding

In 2019, speeding played a role in 26% of all traffic fatalities in the U.S., ranking among the most deadly traffic violations on the books. And if there’s one thing we know about impatience, it’s that it goes hand in hand with speed.

Impatient drivers often feel the need to go faster, to get where they’re going at a more rapid pace. That’s where speeding comes in. These drivers will drive over the speed limit to move faster than the flow of traffic around them so that they can breeze through to where they need to be.

Unfortunately, that’s an easy way to cause an accident and an even easier way to get a ticket.

Reckless Driving

Oftentimes, impatient drivers combine a few traffic violations into one. Without even realizing it; an impatient driver who speeds, maneuvers from lane to lane, and tailgates other vehicles could be setting themselves up for a reckless driving conviction. That’s because there’s only a fine line between impatient driving and aggressive driving and that line is easy to cross.

Aggressive driving, also known as road rage, is a leading cause of reckless driving violations. The legal definition of reckless driving varies from jurisdiction to jurisdiction; however, many similarities exist among those different local laws. Here are a few examples of actions that could get you a charged with reckless driving:

• Excessive speeding.
• Swerving in and out of lanes.
• Driving on the sidewalk.
• Tailgating.
• Unsafe passing.

Running Red Lights

If you’ve ever put the pedal to the metal to make it through a yellow light, you might be an impatient driver. People who are too impatient to wait for the next green light tend to punch it and try to speed their way through the intersection before the yellow light turns to red. Not only does this result in speeding, it also often results in running red lights.

Additionally with the increase in red light cameras you are setting yourself up for a lot of tickets. 

Following Too Closely

Tailgating is a great way to get a ticket for following too closely. Many states have laws requiring you to maintain a safe distance between your vehicle and the one in front of it. Failure to adhere to that law can get you a ticket, and if there’s one thing we know about impatient drivers it’s that they love to tailgate.

If somebody is tailgating you, merge into the slower lane to allow them to pass. This can be frustrating but it’s better than getting rear-ended by an impatient driver should you need to brake for any reason.

Accidents

All of the above traffic violations have been shown to lead to increased chances of an accident. Because of the behaviors that impatient drivers are known to practice, their risk of being at fault in an accident is significantly higher than that of a safe driver.

What Can Trigger an Impatient Driver

Anything or anybody that an impatient driver believes to be in their way can trigger their negative driving behaviors. Here’s a quick list of examples:

• Somebody driving under the speed limit.
• Somebody taking too long to start driving when the light turns green.
• Lane closures.
• Stop-and-go traffic.

What Are the Signs That an Impatient Driver Is Behind You

If an impatient driver is behind you, you’ll know it. If they’re right behind you, they’ll most likely be tailgating you, possibly even moving slowly side to side to try to see if there’s a way to get around you. If they’re a little ways back, with other cars between you and them, you can spot them as they pass the other cars.

Spotting an impatient driver coming from a long way away increases your chances of avoiding an accident.

How Do You Deal with Impatient Drivers?

Do not give in to road rage. For example, if an impatient driver is tailgating you, do not under any circumstances “brake check” them or otherwise attempt to impede their driving ability. That is dangerous and can result in serious bodily injury or even death.

The best thing to do when you spot an impatient driver coming is to get out of the way. Steering clear of the impatient driver makes them less likely to cause an accident involving you. Once they’re gone, you can get back in your preferred lane and continue on your way.

What Should You Do If You Are an Impatient Driver?

If you’re reading this article thinking, “A lot of this sounds kind of like me,” then you might be an impatient driver. If that’s the case, then admitting it is the first step in becoming a safe driver. Now that you’ve acknowledged the need for a change, here are a few tips to help you make that change a reality:

Give Yourself More Time to Get Where You’re Going

A leading contributor of impatient driving is the fear of being late. By leaving a little earlier and giving yourself more time to travel, you increase your chances of getting there on time. Rather than trying to beat the GPS, add a couple minutes and take your time.

Keep the Car Calming

Maintaining a calming environment in your vehicle is a great way to keep your stress in check and prevent any impatient driving outbursts. For some people, that means turning the radio off and listening to the sounds of the road. For others, it means playing your favorite songs and letting the world pass you by. Either way, just be sure not to let safe driving turn into distracted driving.

Use Cruise Control

If you have a bit of a lead foot, cruise control might be the solution. Nowadays, almost every vehicle on the road has some kind of cruise control. Turning it on decreases the temptation to speed by allowing you to take your foot off the gas. Just be sure to keep paying attention to the posted speed limits so you can adjust accordingly.

Take Deep Breaths

If something starts to stress you out, take a few deep breaths. Breath in while you count to three. Hold it. Breathe out while you count to three. The slower you do this, the more calming the effect will be.

What Should You Do If You Get a Ticket as an Impatient Driver

If your driving habits have earned you a traffic ticket, don’t pay it just yet. There are plenty of ways to beat a ticket and the expert traffic ticket lawyers you’ll find on the WinIt app know just about every one.

As long as your ticket isn’t for a bona fide crime that can impose jail time, the lawyers on the WinIt app can help you beat it. Instead of paying another penny to police unions and courthouses, take your case to court and win it with WinIt.