Majority of fatal crashes involve aggressive driving

Posted by Benji Riggins on April 26, 2009 under Safety | Be the First to Comment

As many as 56 percent of fatal auto accidents involve at least one unsafe driving behavior associated with aggressive driving, according to recent analysis by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.

The study analyzed data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, revealing that speeding is the most frequent factor in fatal accidents, occurring in almost on out of every three deadly crashes.

According to Peter Kissinger, president and CEO of the AAA foundation, “It’s easy to think that other guy is the problem — the one who runs someone off the road, tailgates, or yells obscenities. In reality, examples of driving aggressively — any of which can lead to crashes, injuries, and deaths — are all too common.”

Other examples of aggressive driving listed in the analysis reportedly include running stop signs or red lights, preventing other drivers from passing, illegally driving on the shoulder, and failure to yield.

Finally, AAA said the purpose of releasing these results was to educate drivers about the potential risks of aggressive driving, in the hope that motorists will examine their own behavior behind the wheel.