Aggressive driving is often seen on I-95 in Philadelphia, a heavily used highway for thousands of commuters. Bucks County personal injury lawyer Michael L. Saile, Jr. details many of the actions of drivers who engage in agressive behavior behind the wheel, sometimes even resulting in road rage:
- Tailgating,
- Driving in a threatening/unsafe manner to other drivers,
- Cutting off motorists or keeping motorists from merging,
- Swerving in and out of lanes at high speed,
- Verbal treats and rude gestures,
- Causing a collision intentionally,
- Running red lights,
- Flashing head lights and/or honking horn.
Tailgating, also know as following too close to the vehicle in front, is considered a leading form of aggression on the road. Tailating is dangerous because the lack of distance between vehicles makes it difficult for the vehicle behind you to stop should traffic come to a sudden halt This is how many Philadelphia area car accidents occur.
Approximately one third of all rear-end collisions involve tailgating. Car accidents involving multiple vehciles are also a frequent result of tailgating. If an accident occurs in front of you and you are following too closely, there’s a good chance you are going to become part of the “accident chain”.
Additionally, AAA Foundation studies have shown that:
- Approximately 56 percent of fatal accidents involve some form (or forms) of unsafe driving typically associated with aggressive driving.
- Driving over the speed limit or driving too fast for conditions (such as bad weather) is aggressive driving and contributes to nearly one in every three fatal crashes.
As you can see, nothing good comes from reckless driving, and peoples’ lives are put in danger unnecessarily.
How to NOT be a tailgater
Make sure that for each ten miles per hour that you are traveling, you allow one car length between you and the car in front of you. That is, if you are traveling 50 miles per hour, make sure that five cars could fit between you and the car in front of you. Remember that the faster you are going, the more time/distance you will need to stop.
Sometimes Just Move Over
If you are being tailgated, remain calm. As long as you are driving at the posted speed limit and paying attention, you are doing nothing wrong. If you feel the driver behind you is too close, gently apply your breaks to give the person behind you the signal that they are too close. If that doesn’t work, change lanes and remove yourself from the situation. Sometimes it may even come to pulling off to the side of the road to let the aggressive driver pass.
Victims of auto accidents on I-95 due to aggressive drivers are often badly injured. Don’t delay in contacting a local car accident lawyer if you have suffered damages due to some else’s recklessness. The Bucks County personal injury lawyers of Cordisco & Saile LLC can be reached at 215-642-2335. Download your FREE copy of our PA Car Accident Book, to learn more about the inujry claims process.
