Aggressive Driving

Speeding and other aggressive driving behaviors are among the leading causes of highway crashes and fatalities in Pennsylvania. However, many motorists don´t realize they are in fact, aggressive drivers.

Here are some questions to help you determine if you are an aggressive driver:

• Do you speed excessively?
• Do you tailgate slower vehicles?
• Do you race to beat red lights or run stop signs?
• Do you weave in and out of traffic?
• Do you pass illegally on the right?
• Do you fail to yield the right of way to oncoming vehicles?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may be an aggressive driver and are putting yourself, your passengers and other people on the road with you at increased risk of a crash.

Aggressive Driving Education and Enforcement Project

To deter aggressive drivers and make Pennsylvania´s highways safer for all who use them, PennDOT partners with Pennsylvania State and local police departments to conduct aggressive driving enforcement. Since the project was launched in 2006, more than 580 roadways have been targeted with additional enforcement and education.

Tips for what to do when you encounter aggressive drivers

If you encounter an aggressive driver, PennDOT offers these tips for what to do.

• Get out of their way and don´t challenge them.
• Stay relaxed, avoid eye contact and ignore rude gestures.
• Don´t block the passing lane if you are driving slower than most of the traffic.

While many people associate aggressive driving with road rage, they are two different behaviors. Road rage, which is a criminal offense, is often the result of aggressive driving behavior that escalates into an assault with a vehicle or other dangerous weapon.