Aggressive driving is a serious offense, and it puts you and others in harm’s way. That’s why seeing aggressive drivers on the roadway is so dangerous. Those people may be angry or in a rush, but their actions could lead to serious collisions.
Aggressive driving is often referred to as road rage, but to be clear, road rage is just a single type of aggressive driving. There are other forms, too, such as tailgating, weaving in and out of traffic, speeding and so on.
No, they don’t have to be angry to be aggressive
Road rage is a common form of aggressive driving where a person may be angry or violent while driving, but this is not the only kind of aggressive driving there is. A person might be completely polite or friendly, but they can still drive in an aggressive manner.
For example, if someone is late for work and begins speeding around traffic, they could be an aggressive driver in that instance. Similarly, if a vehicle in front of you is going slowly and you tailgate them to try to get them to move over or speed up, you could be accused of aggressive driving.
Even something like weaving in and out of lanes to get around slower traffic might constitute aggressive driving in some cases, particularly if it’s done in a reckless manner.
What can you do to avoid aggressive driving?
Usually, aggressive driving comes down to a few core issues. The first might be spending too many hours on the road and just wanting to get home. Another could be being late for an appointment and getting caught up in traffic that isn’t going quickly enough to help you get to your destination on time.
Essentially, being in a rush is likely to lead to aggressive driving in some people. Road rage can happen because of being offended by other drivers or getting cut off, for example, but at the core, most people with aggressive driving tendencies are in some kind of rush.
To avoid aggressive driving, give yourself more time to get to your destination. If you see a dangerous driver, report them and do your best to stay out of their way.