There are several ways in which a car accident can occur. But aggressive driving remains one of the most prevalent and one of the most dangerous, affecting tens of millions of drivers each year. This type of driving is characterized by behavior that has bad intentions or disregard for the safety of other motorists on the road.
Those who find themselves near an aggressive driver can be at an increased risk of being involved in a serious wreck, in turn oftentimes causing devastating injuries like broken bones, head and neck injuries, severe lacerations, and psychological trauma that can haunt a victim for a lifetime.
So, what aggressive driving behaviors do you need to be on the lookout for when you’re out on the road? Let’s dive in.
Watch out for these aggressive driving behaviors
There are several types of aggressive driving, any one of which could place you in danger. Here are some of the most common aggressive driving behaviors that you should be aware of so that you can try to avoid them when you see them out on the road:
- Tailgating: This is the most common type of aggressive driving. Here, the driver behind you follows way too closely, sometimes coming within inches of your bumper. A driver might do this if they think you’re driving too slowly, or if they’re simply angry at you for some reason. When you need to hit the brakes, even just a little, these aggressive drivers can easily ram into you, causing a significant high-speed rear-end collision.
- Cutting off: When a driver gets angry, they might feel the need to get back at you. This can be extremely dangerous, such as when another driver passes you, then slams on the brakes once they’re in front of you. Here, you could hit the back of the vehicle that just passed you, which could result in significant injuries.
- Weaving in traffic: Whether they’re in a hurry or they simply want to drive fast, some drivers weave in and out of traffic, oftentimes without signaling and in violation of the speed limit. When they do so, they might not be fully aware of the traffic around them, which can cause them to slam into the side of another vehicle or rear-end a slower car in front of them when they’re focused on frequently changing lanes.
- Speeding: This is one of the biggest contributors to injurious and fatal car accidents. Speeding drivers tend to take risks that they shouldn’t, such as trying to beat red lights, and they might miscalculate the speed of other drivers around them, causing them to fail to slow in time to avoid a collision.
How can you avoid an accident caused by an aggressive driver?
Although you can never completely eliminate your risk of being involved in a car accident, there are steps you can take to reduce your risk. This includes:
- Being forgiving of mistakes made by other drivers.
- Following all traffic laws.
- Avoiding eye contact and gestures that may enrage another motorist.
- Allowing other drivers to easily merge into traffic.
- Being courteous in high traffic situations and parking lots.
- Using your high beams appropriately.
- Avoiding engaging in aggressive driving behaviors yourself.
By taking these steps, you’ll hopefully be able to avoid an accident caused by aggressive driving. But if you end up hurt in a wreck caused by one of these dangerous drivers, then you should consider taking legal action. After all, a successful personal injury lawsuit can help you obtain accountability, recover compensation for your injuries, and shine a light on the aggressive driving behaviors that left your harmed.