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Road Rage: A Form of Distracted Driving

Throughout Washington, and the rest of the country, distracted driving has become quite a problem. Everyone knows that cell phones, particularly those with internet connectivity, are a

 prime cause of distraction. However, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

reports that aggressive driving has also become a serious cause of driver distraction.

Aggressive driving, which preempts road rage, occurs when and individual completes a

combination of moving traffic offenses so as to endanger other persons or property,” accordingto NHTSA.

Aggressive Driving in Washington State and Beyond

Aggressive driving is a behavior that can lead to road rage, which is a criminal offense. Some

aggressive driving behaviors are also similar to the symptoms of distracted driving, including:

•

exceeding the posted speed limit,• following too closely,

• erratic or unsafe lane changes,

• improperly signaling lane changes, and

• failure to obey traffic control devices.

These sorts of distraction are the leading causes of vehicle accidents in the state. In 2011,

according to the Washington State Collision Data summary, the following number of wrecks wascaused by:

• disregarding a stoplight caused 3,425 collisions,

• running a stop sign or flashing red light led to 2,018 crashes,

• speeding caused 1,770 wrecks, and

• improper passing caused 1,120 accidents.

These accidents, which clearly align with the symptoms of aggressive and distracted driving,

caused 454 fatalities, 32,664 personal injuries, and 65,735 crashes only damaged property.

Symptomology of a Distracted Driver

A driver can become distracted in three ways: cognitively, manually, or visually. In terms of 

aggressive driving, the greatest cause of distraction is cognitive – taking your mind off of theroad. Whatever the motivation, aggressive driving takes a person’s thoughts away from drivingsafely and sets them on “getting even” or competing with a driver he or she perceives as

slighting him or her.

The best way to avoid the distraction of aggressive driving is to simply not become agitated

 behind the wheel. To avoid tailgating, leave a little earlier in case someone in front of you drives

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slowly. To avoid becoming annoyed to the point of improperly passing a vehicle, speeding, or 

disregarding a traffic signal, make your car a relaxing place.

Remember, each driver is responsible for driving safely.

These articles are provided for informational purposes only and should not be considered legal

advice. Professional legal counsel should be sought for specific advice relevant to your circumstances.