If you’re an experienced driver, you have probably seen aggressive driving while on the road. When it happens, you can’t very well miss it. You might see a driver engage in shocking and dangerous behavior, and you know they’re having a road rage incident.
Aggressive driving remains at the top of the list if you’re looking at common reasons for head-on crashes, rear-end collisions, T-bone wrecks, and sideswipe situations. No matter what kind of car accident you’re talking about, though, aggressive driving often plays a part.
We’ll talk about it in more detail right now. We’ll cover what causes it, and we’ll also go over some potential consequences.
People Late for Work or Appointments
First, let’s talk about what causes aggressive driving. In many instances, you might see someone drive aggressively if they’re late for work. They may also have an appointment somewhere, and they’re late for that.
If you’re late for work, and you know you might get into trouble with your boss if you don’t make it on time, you might speed up or drive recklessly for that reason. If you have a crucial appointment, you might also feel you should hurry and drive aggressively to make it there on time.
However, just because you got a late start, that does not mean someone else should pay the price for your aggressive driving tactics. The world does not revolve around any particular person.
Some individuals who drive aggressively do it because of “main character syndrome.” They think they’re more important than other drivers, so they should get to do whatever they want. The world doesn’t work that way, but try telling some people that.
Trouble at Home or Work
You might also see someone acting aggressively on the road because they’re having trouble at home or work. Maybe this individual doesn’t see eye to eye with a spouse or partner. Perhaps it’s some other loved one who’s causing this person some serious headaches. They might take those feelings onto the road with them, endangering those around them.
Maybe it’s a problem at work or school that’s bothering them. If they’re not getting along with a coworker, that could cause aggressive driving. Maybe this person feels they should get a promotion, but they haven’t gotten it yet. If they’re having a school-related problem, perhaps they might fail a crucial college class, and that’s upsetting them.
No matter what the reason, you can’t take your feelings out onto the road with you. When you do, it makes causing a wreck much more likely.
Arguments with Passengers
Arguing with a passenger might cause aggressive driving. If a driver has a person right next to them who’s yelling in their ear, that might infuriate them. They might speed up if that happens. Perhaps they’ll start weaving in and out of traffic, or they’ll change lanes without signaling.
All of those constitute aggressive driving. Much like problems at home, work, or school, it’s someone letting their feelings influence how they drive. If they have an irritation source right there next to them, they might have a tough time taking a deep breath and regaining their composure.
Car Accidents
Now, let’s talk about some possible results if you have an aggressive driver who’s behaving recklessly. Car accidents remain the most obvious and likely results. They can happen much more easily if you have an aggressive driver who’s speeding or acting erratically.
If someone can’t get out of the way of an aggressive driver fast enough, that can cause a fender bender. A driver might also panic and swerve off the road if they have another vehicle bearing down on them and flashing its lights or honking its horn.
If you ever see this type of behavior, do all you can to get out of this driver’s way. You may not know what’s going on with them, but it’s nothing good. They’re risking an accident, and you don’t want them victimizing you.
Tickets
Someone who drives aggressively or recklessly also risks a possible ticket from a police officer who sees them acting this way. A reckless driving ticket usually comes with points on your license. Speeding might get you a fine, but if you’re weaving in and out of traffic or doing anything else we’ve mentioned, you’re risking more serious penalties.
Loss of a Driver’s License
A driver who continually acts aggressively or recklessly while on the road might risk losing their license as well. If a judge determines that they acted so aggressively while on the road that they might have injured or killed someone, that judge might feel this person represents a public menace, and they must act. The judge might confiscate this person’s license.
They might say this driver can get their license back after taking remedial driving classes. They may also say they will give back their license in six months or a year.
If this happens, and you’re the one who now doesn’t have a license, you can imagine how that will impact your daily life. Maybe you can’t drive now, so you must take public transportation everywhere. That will probably inconvenience you. You might ask relatives or friends for rides, or perhaps you’ll take taxis or Ubers everywhere.
That can get expensive in a hurry. You might also feel frustrated or even enraged about what happened. If you don’t change your ways, though, you might lose your license for good next time.
Ultimately, how you drive impacts not just you, but also anyone in the car with you and anyone around you as well. That includes other drivers, cyclists, pedestrians, and even pets. You can easily run over someone’s beloved family dog while driving aggressively. You might even hit a child or someone’s parent.
You must reconsider if you’re letting anything happening in your life influence how you drive. Defensive driving keeps you safe, while aggressive driving makes the road a dangerous place for anyone who dares to venture onto it.
