Aggressive driving, we’ve all experienced it at some point. There are many different forms it can take, ranging from uncooperativeness in sharing the road to actively attempting to injure another driver. Whatever form it comes in, aggressive driving can cause a great deal of harm.
Here in Pennsylvania, aggressive driving contributes to thousands of accidents a year, and accounts for almost two-thirds of accidents that occur yearly in Dauphin, Cumberland, Adams, Lancaster, Lebanon, Perry and York counties. According to law enforcement agencies, the most common forms of aggressive driving involve speeding, tailgating and cutting off other drivers.
Although aggressive drivers may be prosecuted for a variety of violations, there are some states that have specifically targeted aggressive driving by passing legislation. Here in Pennsylvania, the House of Representatives passed a resolution encouraging drivers to drive courteously and defensively and promised to support measures promoting safe driving practices, but there are no specific penalties for aggressive driving as there are in some other states.
Those who are harmed by an aggressive driver, of course, have the right to be fully compensated for injuries caused by the other driver’s behavior. Aggressive driving, though, is not always a one-way street. In some cases more than one driver is at fault. In cases where the victim was part of the problem, his or her ability to collect damages in court may be limited. In our next post, we’ll look at this issue further as it is dealt with under Pennsylvania’s comparative negligence statute.
Sources:
Pennlive.com, “Aggressive drivers cause more crashes than distracted and drunken drivers combined in Pa.,” Christian Alexandersen, Nov. 19, 2015.
Governors Highway Safety Association, “Aggressive Driving Laws,” Dec. 2014.