Everyone who operates a motor vehicle today has been subjected to another’s aggressive driving: tailgating, honking horns, rude gestures, being cut off. The list is endless, and it often results in catastrophic injuries or death. Many times, the aggressive driver is under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or is otherwise impaired and the aggressive driving crash statistics are sobering.
SafeMotorist reports that a total of 12,610 injuries were attributed to aggressive driving or “road rage’ over the past seven-years. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that 66% of all traffic fatalities were caused by aggressive driving and that road rage/aggressive driving has caused approximately 300 motor vehicle deaths since 2013. CNN reports a 500% increase in documented aggressive driving/road rage cases over the past 10 years.
No one has clearly defined “why” vehicle operators are so easily angered or why they feel entitled to “dispense justice” for real or imagined slights while driving. The operation of motor vehicles is a privilege that must be earned, and it can be lost by aggressive driving.
The easiest solution to defuse a hazardous situation with an aggressive driver is to start with your own behavior. If another vehicle operator mistakenly feels you “started something”, let it go. Give other vehicle operators space and don’t escalate the situation by responsively driving aggressively in a machine that can kill or injure you and others on the roadway.
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If you have been injured or a family member has been killed because of a distracted driver, our Personal Injury Attorneys are here to help you every step of the way. We will aggressively prosecute your truck accident, car accident, or other personal injury case. Get started with our firm today. Call our office at 701-237-6983 or contact us here.
H. Patrick Weir Jr. and Briana L. Rummel, Personal Injury and Wrongful Death Attorneys