Aggressive driving, defined by AAA as engaging in deliberate and unsafe behaviors behind the wheel, is a bad habit — and a common one.
A survey conducted by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that 79% of drivers demonstrate aggressive behaviors when behind the wheel, with speeding and tailgating topping the list.
Do you consider yourself an aggressive driver? Here are some indicators, as taught in the AAA Defensive Driving Course.
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- Speed?
- Run red lights?
- Follow other cars too closely?
- Fail to obey traffic control signs, such as yield, one way, no U-turn?
- Maneuver or turn improperly?
- Maneuver in a way that forces another driver to change their speed or direction, such as cutting them off or not yielding the right-of-way when necessary?
- “Camp out” in the left lane, which is the passing lane?
- Hit the brakes without cause or warning?
What Is the Difference Between Aggressive Driving and Road Rage?
Road rage is the step up from aggressive driving. This involves even more dangerous behaviors in which drivers should never engage. You likely have road rage if you ever have:
- Thrown objects at another vehicle.
- Yelled insults or made rude gestures at another roadway user.
- Attempted to ram another vehicle.
Road rage and aggressive driving are serious safety hazards, often contributing to crashes. Driving while emotionally compromised, which includes being angry, sad, crying or emotionally agitated, raises the risk of a crash almost 10 times, according to one study. Furthermore, the error rate for angry drivers can be as much as 2 1/2 times more than that for emotionally stable drivers.
All that anger also takes a toll on your health. The stress and anxiety generated when driving aggressively increases your blood pressure and heart rate, which could increase your risk for heart attack or stroke.
How To Stay Calm While Driving
Brian Butterworth, senior manager of AAA Driving School, offered the following tips.
- Leave plenty of time to get where you’re going. This can help reduce any temptation to speed, or frustration you might feel if you get stuck in traffic.
- If you’re already upset, don’t drive until you’ve calmed down.
- If you’re on a longer drive, take breaks. AAA recommends scheduling a break every two hours or every 100 miles.
- Keep your focus on driving safely. Avoid thinking about other problems that you may be experiencing.
- Spread kindness and courtesy; say sorry, wave thank you, let other drivers merge into your lane and smile.
For more ways to keep your cool and stay and safe while driving, check out our rules for dealing with a tailgater.
To improve your driving habits, consider taking the AAA Defensive Driving Course. AAA Northeast also offers driver training programs in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
Do you ever catch yourself driving too aggressively? What do you do to calm down?
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I get angry sometimes at the behaviors of other drivers. I’m especially angered when I make the rare mistake of cutting in front of someone and they fly off the handle as happened recently. They were going WAY beyond the 30 MPH speed limit when I turned in front of them. That was followed by tailgating in a school zone, them passing unsafely and illegally, and rude gestures – as though I somehow intended to cut them off. It took everything I had not to respond in an aggressive manner to this seemingly selfish and entitled motorist. Civility and forgiveness has broken down somewhat in society and the roads are no exception.
No to all, now please tell my wife that.