Reckless/Aggressive Driving and Road Rage

Your vehicle is not a weapon. If you operate without regard for the law or the safety of others, you turn it into a weapon. Good defensive drivers are in control at all times, no exceptions, other than for on board emergencies. They are in control of their vehicles and in control of their emotions. 

Never let your emotions get the best of you. If you drive for any length of time, another driver will inevitably do something that irritates you. If that driver puts you and your passengers in serious danger, you may become angry, even enraged. That’s where it stops. 

If the careless actions of another driver cause you to react and even make an evasive maneuver, get safely clear of that driver. Regain your composure as soon as you can, especially if you have passengers who rely on you to be in control. Be thankful that you are OK and happy that there is now distance between you and the careless driver. If that driver posed a serious hazard to you, get the vehicle’s plate number and notify authorities if you can. You will probably not be the only one that the careless driver threatens. 

Even though you learned about reading other drivers, you may not read another driver correctly, especially if that driver is utterly careless or has a short fuse. No matter how much another driver angers you, do not use your horn, make obscene gestures, or even make eye contact. All of these are triggers for road rage. If the other driver is truly unstable, now you have someone following you. They may even use their vehicle to strike you. Notify authorities immediately if you think you might be a victim of road rage. Drive towards the nearest police station. The last thing you want to do is to pull over and stop. Confronting an aggressive driver is dangerous, even if your plan is to apologize. Once you stop, the threat of physical violence becomes all too real. It might even involve weapons. And remember, your actions will determine if you are the victim or the aggressor.

The lines between reckless driving and aggressive driving can get blurred sometimes. A lot may depend on why you drive so carelessly. In some cases, one incident might be enough for you to get pulled over. Other times, you may need to break a series of rules before you are deemed to be driving recklessly or aggressively. 

What follows is a partial list of activities that may
contribute to a reckless or aggressive driving charge:

  • Exceeding the speed limit
  • Changing lanes or passing without signaling
  • Tailgating,
  • Deliberately using your vehicle to strike another
  • Jamming on the brakes to force a driver behind you to stop or back off

It goes without saying that even a single act on that list can be dangerous. Add to any of them an enraged driver with a weapon and the potential for serious trouble is there. For a first offense reckless driving, expect a fine of between $25 and $500 and 5 to 90 days in jail or both. Second and subsequent offenses will result in a fine of $50 to $500 and jail time between 10 days and 6 months. Also, expect a 6 month suspension. And finally, especially with road rage, you may face criminal charges depending on the nature of the incident. 

There is a variety of possibilities regarding points assessed against your driving record when you operate carelessly or recklessly. Here are some:

  • 6 points reckless driving/reckless endangerment
  • 4 points for illegal passing
  • 3 Points for following too closely
  • 2 points for failure to signal for a lane change
  • 2 points for unsafe operation.