Avoiding an Aggressive Driving Accident in Tennessee

By Thomas Greer | December 8, 2013

December is a wonderful time of year.  Families get together to celebrate the season.  People try to stop and reflect on all the good things in their lives.  It is a time of peace and joyful exchanges, at least in theory.  The reality that greets us on the roads is a far different thing.  Everyone has somewhere to go and believes that he has more right to get there than you do.  It is never a good idea to engage an aggressive driver because things can go from bad to worse quickly.

In order to avoid attracting the ire of an aggressive driver, you should watch for signs that someone is not driving with the safety and welfare of others on his mind.  These signs include:

  • Tailgating – This is one of the most common signs that an individual is trying to express frustration while changing your driving.  It involves getting very close to the vehicle in front of them, which is extremely dangerous at high rates of speed where traffic conditions may change and require a rapid application of brakes.  The best course of action is to move out of this driver’s way as soon as it is safe to do so.
  • Weaving in heavy traffic – Usually, you can spot them in your rear or side view mirrors.  These are the drivers who are coming up fast and moving in and out of vehicles as they attempt to go faster than the speed of traffic allows.  These individuals often will come very close to other cars as they pass between lanes.  Moving out of the passing lane may help this situation.  It also is important not to challenge this driver and simply let them move through your area of road.
  • Unsafe passing – These drivers usually will start the dangerous behavior with tailgating and then attempt to move around the car that is in front.  If they are behind you, then you should move over to another lane on a multi-lane roadway.  If it is a two-way road, moving over to the shoulder will help the aggressive driver get around you and on his way as soon as possible.  These drivers pose the most danger when they pass into oncoming traffic, jeopardizing the safety of everyone.
  • Overt displays of anger – There are times when another driver wants to let you know that you have done something to anger them.  This may include flashing lights, applying the horn, or displaying hand gestures.  Escalating this is easy.  It is frustrating to simply ignore this type of aggression, but safest for everyone to do it.  The alternative plays out in violent confrontations at intersections throughout the country.

It is difficult to simply ignore the dangerous behavior of aggressive drivers.  If it safe for you or a passenger to do so, use your camera phone to take a picture of the offending driver or otherwise take note of the vehicle and driver description.  Police forces across the country are creating units to deal with aggressive drivers and you can report the behavior without engaging the wrongdoer.

Any type of car accident is a traumatic event that, unfortunately, many of us are going to experience in our lifetimes.  If the accident was caused by an aggressive driver, the emotional impact may be even harder to get through as it was completely preventable.  The experienced car accident attorneys at Bailey & Greer, PLLC are committed to getting you the help that you need while putting together a successful case against the offending driver.  When you are ready to discuss what happened to you, we will sit down with you in a free and confidential consultation.  To set up an appointment, please call us at 901-680-9777.  At Bailey & Greer, we are small enough to care, big enough to fight, and experienced enough to win.

Posted in Blog

Leave a Comment

You must be logged in to post a comment.