GGRESSIVE DRIVING

Aggressive driving is committing a combination of dangerous moving offenses such as tailgating, unsafe lane changing, speeding, and running a stop sign. Aggressive drivers are all around us and include our young drivers. Aggressive driving causes crashes, and it is against the law.

U.S. Facts About 1500 deaths and 800,000 injuries occur as a result of aggressive driving each year. (Special Report: Aggressive driving, 1999) In a 1997 national survey, drivers age 16-20 reported high levels of the following aggressive driving behaviors: driving through stop signs without slowing (81%), switching between lanes (63%), tailgating (44%), driving through red lights (44%), cutting another car off (39%), and making angry/obscene gestures or comments (37%). (NHTSA, 1999) Running a red light is one of the most dangerous aggressive driving offenses (NHTSA, 2003). In 2001, 24% of 15 to 20 year old drivers involved in fatal crashes had previous speeding convictions and 20% had previous other harmful or moving convictions (NHTSA, 2001, p.3). In 2001, 36% of male drivers and 24% of female drivers age 15-20 involved in fatal crashes were speeding (NHTSA, 2001, p. 2). "A powerful predicator of a young driver's behavior is the parent's driving behavior during the years they learn to drive." (Maryland MVA, 2002).

Maryland Facts A recent survey of teen drivers in Maryland found that: 61% drove too fast, 60% had an encounter with an aggressive driver, 22% drove aggressively, and 20% ran a stop sign or traffic stop light (Beck et al., 2001). Maryland law defines aggressive driving as committing at the same time or during a continuous driving period three or more of the following offenses: traffic signal violation, improper passing, failure to drive in a single or proper lane, following too closely, failure to stop/yield right of way, or exceeding the speed limit. running a red light, overtaking and passing vehicles unsafely, passing on the right, following too closely, failing to yield the right of way, and exceeding the speed limit." (Maryland MVA, 2001, para. 2) In Maryland, teens receiving a moving violation during the provisional license phase must restart the 18 month period. The first conviction will result in driver improvement classes; the second, a 30-day license suspension; and the third or subsequent conviction, a 180-day suspension or revocation of the provisional license. (Maryland MVA, 2003)