Aggressive Drivers Hurt People

December 6, 2017 | Car Accidents

Aggression is appropriate in the boxing ring, but it’s never appropriate when you get behind the wheel. In fact, aggressive driving is dangerous driving. To keep our roads safe for everyone, drivers need to adhere to safe driving practices and to drive with clear heads. Indianapolis, nevertheless, sees its share of aggressive drivers and the accidents they cause. Know the telltale signs of aggressive drivers—and steer clear of them.

Aggressive Driving in Indiana

Indiana is one of only eleven states that targets aggressive driving directly—as a Class A misdemeanor punishable by as much as a $5,000 fine and a year in jail. Drivers can be so charged if they commit three or more of a range of driving infractions within one driving event, including:

  • Operating a vehicle unsafely
  • Following another vehicle too closely
  • Passing a vehicle on the right by driving off the roadway
  • Failing to yield appropriately
  • Stopping or slowing a vehicle unsafely
  • Honking the horn unnecessarily
  • Driving at an unsafe speed
  • Flashing the headlights repeatedly
  • Failing to obey traffic signs or signals

Aggressive drivers rarely engage in single aggressive driving behavior but instead, tend to drive aggressively in general. If an aggressive driver is angered by some perceived slight, for example, the driver may well speed up, honk incessantly, and follow too closely. We’ve all seen it.

In Indiana, any attempt to intimidate another driver is considered a form of aggressive driving. Furthermore, aggressive driving in a work zone can amp the charge up to a felony. Indiana takes aggressive driving seriously.

Traffic Safety

According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, speeding is one of the most commonly exhibited forms of aggressive driving on our highways and byways. Furthermore, speed plays a significant role in nearly a third of fatal traffic accidents. If another driver’s speed is endangering other vehicles on the road, stay away from that vehicle via the safest means available to you.

Avoid Aggressive Drivers

Aggressive drivers endanger everyone. Stay away from these drivers, and take whatever steps you can to avoid escalating the situation: Give aggressive drivers plenty of driving space. Resist the urge to retaliate against aggressive drivers, which can easily escalate already dangerous situations. Avoid eye contact with aggressive drivers—it can be interpreted as a challenge. Report dangerous drivers—you owe it to yourself and everyone else on the road. Stay in your car if you’re ever in a situation in which an aggressive driver gets out of a vehicle and approaches you.

If You Were Injured by an Aggressive Driver, Contact Fountain Law Group Today

At the Fountain Law Firm, P.C., we have successfully helped many victims of aggressive drivers obtain the compensation they deserve for their injuries and related losses. To make sure that you receive all the compensation to which you are entitled, have an experienced personal injury attorney handle your case. Attorney Merry Fountain can help you by meeting in her office or by meeting in your home. Call Merry Fountain anytime at (888) 242-HURT (4878) or write her online for a free consultation.