Have you experienced an aggressive driving experience, or unintentionally been an aggressive driver yourself? It’s far more common than you may think, and the consequences of aggressive driving behaviors including tailgating and abrupt turns - can be devastating.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that 66 percent of traffic fatalities are caused by aggressive driving.
The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety has reported that nearly 80 percent all drivers affirmed that they had experienced extreme anger, aggression, or road rage while driving. And roughly 78 percent of drivers admit to engaging in aggressive behavior themselves.
What Is Aggressive Driving?
Aggressive driving behaviors include tailgating, intentional quick stops, abrupt lane changes, offensive hand gestures, failing to yield the right-of-way, inappropriate high beam use, speeding to overcome a vehicle and cutting another driver off. This blog will focus on the avoidance of aggressive driving as both the source and the recipient.
We encounter rude, inconsiderate drivers during our usual commutes. When this lack of respect turns into dangerous driving the outcome can affect your safety. Hopefully, those encounters are seldom, and we resist the urge to retaliate. Drivers tailgate, race through intersections on yellow lights, and fail to signal their turns. Aggressive driving behaviors can increase crash risk, so it is important to keep your cool and to react appropriately to aggressive drivers.
Diffusing Aggressive Driving
Sometimes, you are the aggressive driver and other times you may encounter an aggressive driver. How can you defuse potential “road rage” situations and avoid crashes?
- Drive courteously and defensively. Stay focused and calm.
- Be prepared to take emergency action to avoid a collision.
- Do not respond to rude gestures or verbal intimidation.
- Go with the flow of traffic.
- If a vehicle cuts you off, drop back and let it go.
Aggressive drivers more than double their risk of crashing. Use these strategies to reduce stress and increase safety:
- Give yourself plenty of time to reach your destination.
- Alter your schedule or route to avoid busy roads.
- Plan your route and be willing to make changes, as necessary.
- Know the highway emergency phone numbers for your travel route.
Preventing Aggressive Driving
Like in pest control, prevention is the name of the game to avoiding aggressive driving situations. Keep the following in mind when you climb behind the wheel if your service:
Cutting Off Other Drivers - Be sure you have ample space to pass a vehicle and pass only when necessary. After you pass, move back into your original lane only when you can see the passed vehicle's headlights in your rearview mirror. Maintain your speed.
Following Too Closely - Following too closely behind another motorist, or tailgating, is an aggressive driving behavior that is very dangerous and irritating to other drivers. Under ideal road conditions, a driver should allow 3-4 seconds of distance to avoid rear-end collisions.
Using Passing Lanes Improperly: A passing lane is supposed to be just that. If you are in the passing lane, you are supposed to be passing another vehicle. Do not drive in this lane. Once you have passed the vehicle, move back to the right-hand lane.
PestSure – Your Partner in Safety
Founded in 1980, PestSure is the only insurance and risk management provider that is 100 percent dedicated to the pest management industry. It offers industry professionals a full suite of insurance, risk management, and safety training and education offerings.
PestSure provides insurance, safety and risk management consulting to pest management companies representing $2 billion in revenue, $750 million in payroll and more than 16,500 service vehicles. The program is administered by Alliant Insurance Services.
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