By Kim Smith, PennDOT District 3 Safety Press Officer
Speeding and other aggressive driving behaviors are among the leading factors of highway crashes and fatalities in Pennsylvania. Often, when people hear the term aggressive driving, they think of road rage. But aggressive driving and road rage are not quite the same. Let’s take a closer look at both dangerous behaviors.
Aggressive Driving
Aggressive driving includes speeding, tailgating, weaving in and out of traffic, illegal passing, improper/careless turning and more. If you answer yes to any of these questions, you may be an aggressive driver and are putting yourself, your passengers, and other people on the road at increased risk of a crash.
- 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?
Aggressive driving has serious consequences. According to PennDOT data, there were 5,897 aggressive driving crashes, resulting in 106 fatalities and 406 suspected serious injuries across the state in 2024.
Driving near an aggressive driver can be unnerving. 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.
- Do not attempt to follow or pursue the vehicle. You or a passenger may call the police. But, if you use a cell phone, pull over to a safe location.
Road Rage
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. The offender intends to do harm to others or their property.
For example, a driver becomes so enraged over another driver’s actions (i.e., driving too slowly), that they overreact and retaliate with some form of violence such as a physical confrontation, an assault with a motor vehicle, or even use of a weapon.
If you find yourself the target of road rage, the first thing to do is remain calm. These situations can be scary. Do not react or retaliate; this will only make the situation worse. Avoid eye contact, inflammatory or rude gestures, and horn honking. Finally, if the road rage driver starts following you, stay calm. This is the time to call 9-1-1 or law enforcement and head to the nearest police station.
If you feel yourself becoming enraged when behind the wheel, here are some tips to help keep your emotions in check:
- Get adequate sleep and avoid driving when drowsy.
- Avoiding using your horn or rude gestures out of anger.
- Maintain a safe following distance to give yourself more time to react.
- Be forgiving of another driver’s simple mistakes. We have all made driving mistakes.
- Drive in a considerate manner.
- Do not try to slow another driver down by driving slowly or blocking the lane.
To learn more about aggressive driving and other traffic safety topics, please visit www.penndot.pa.gov/safety.
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