Handling Aggressive Drivers in North Carolina

Handling Aggressive Drivers in North Carolina

Road rage incidents seem to be on the rise. Aggressive driving is more serious than ever. Most people will encounter an aggressive driver at some point in time. Millions of instances of aggressive driving occur every day on our roadways. Aggressive drivers can be scary, and they can also cause accidents. It is helpful to know what to do about aggressive drivers and how to handle an accident if it occurs.

 

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Aggressive Driving – What is it?

Aggressive driving occurs when someone behind the wheel acts in an irresponsible and dangerous manner intentionally, often as the result of anger. Aggressive driving may rise to the level of “road rage,” which happens when aggressive actions become excessive. There are numerous actions that could be considered aggressive. Some of the most common instances include:

• Honking the horn or making obscene gestures
• Intentionally cutting off another vehicle
• Following too closely (tailgating)
• Stopping suddenly
• Forcing another vehicle off the road or into another lane
• Preventing vehicles from merging
• Weaving in and out of traffic
• Speeding
• Failure to obey traffic signals
• Street racing

These behaviors can become extremely dangerous to the aggressive driver and other vehicles on the road. When a driver becomes enraged, he or she could make poor decisions and, therefore, becomes impaired by their own emotions.

 

Aggressive Driving Statistics

According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), aggressive driving is a common occurrence. A survey asked drivers if they had participated in any aggressive driving habits in the last month. 48% admitted to driving at speeds more than 15 mph over the limit on freeways, 32% used obscene hand gestures or honked at another driver, 25% sped up when a vehicle was passing, 34% followed too closely or prevented a vehicle from merging, and 31% drove through a red light. It is likely that you will come into contact with an aggressive driver.

 

What to Do if You Encounter an Aggressive Driver

The best thing to do if you encounter someone who is driving in an aggressive manner is to move away from the situation. Slow down, pull over, or exit the roadway if you must in order to get as far from the aggressive vehicle as possible. Call the police to report the vehicle and provide the make, model, license plate number, and location when possible. Do not respond in an aggressive manner since this is more apt to cause escalation. If the other driver hit your vehicle, sideswiped you, or caused any type of accident, you need to stop your vehicle where it is safe to do so.

 

Do not exit your vehicle and instead call the police and wait for their arrival. Do not engage with the other driver. Allow the police to investigate the incident and make a report. The police will take witness statements and review damages. If you are hurt, be sure to seek immediate medical treatment. If you are afraid to stop your vehicle because of the aggression of the other driver, do not risk harm. Pull off and stop in a safe place, such as a parking lot or gas station.

 

Sometimes, road rage results in accidents and injuries. If you are the victim of a road rage incident, we can help. Call us today at Arnold & Smith, PLLC, at (704) 370-2828 to discuss your case.

Aggressive Driving and Other Laws | NHTSA

Aggressive Driving – AAA Exchange

 

 

 

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