Agressive driving and its negative effects on drivers - Research Paper Example

Aggressive Driving and Its Negative Effects on the Driver Introduction Aggressive driving refers to driving in an egotistic, forceful, or impatient way, often dangerously, that openly affects other drivers or pedestrians. In most cases, this manner of driving results from interaction between the driver and the driving setting. Therefore, resolving this problem lies both on enforcement of driving regulations, education and engineering. Aggressive driving also refers to more extreme conducts of physical assault that come from disagreement between drivers. Sixty percent of traffic fatalities constitute behaviors frequently associated with aggressive driving; these include speeding, improper change of lanes and running of red lights. Thirty percent of all traffic injuries are a consequence of aggressive driving while speeding, common in aggressive driving, adds to about thirty percent of fatal crashes. A number of studies have indicated that about 20 to 30 percent of drivers have obscenely gestured, cursed, yelled and hooted their horns at fellow drivers. Approximations show that between 6 to 28 percent of drivers have stalked or blocked the way for other drivers’ vehicles according to Laig (1). The common driving behaviors that add to aggressive driving include over speeding, racing, tailgating, failing to signal, failing to yield, frequent changing of lanes, running red lights, slowing rapidly to discourage a tailgater , cutting off other drivers, and boxing other cars in and using other intimidation maneuvers. Moreover, aggressive drivers can also attempt to threaten their victims by shouting at them. Many and diverse legislatively-defined driving crimes are related in some manner to aggressive driving. However, the statutory definitions, vary from state to state. Reckless driving is a very grave form of slapdash or negligent driving. It is defined in various ways such as creating an extensive or indefensible risk of harm, a conscious disrespect of safety, or a disgusting deviation from logical behavior in the situation. On the other hand, carless, distracted, inattentive or negligent driving are defined as failing to take ordinary care, or jeopardizing property or people in the course if driving. Various states are including to their statutes languages that forbid the use of certain technologies while driving. Some states involve negligent driving, under irresponsible or impaired driving laws, to ensure that defendants appeal to less negligent-driving accusation to evade more serious accusation. Aggressive driving encompasses many of similar behaviors covered by reckless driving laws, Since intention is difficult to prove, the states with laws that demand the standard of intention to be met, usually see aggressive driving accused as reckless driving. Since many behaviors that add to aggressive driving can as well occur without aggression (for instance, inattentiveness), some state legislatures use a verge of three or more possible aggressive driving conducts committed in a series r over a short time in their legal definitions. Aggressive driving definitions should include hostile, selfishly motivated, and competitive driving behaviors. Road rage is a term used by the American media, to refer to aggressive driving especially for the most violent events. Road rage is the more tremendous type of aggression that includes criminal threats and/or brutality precipitated by driving actions. It usually entails intent of harm and can include the use of vehicles as a weapon or can occur outside the vehicle(s) involved. Driving is an activity that provokes more anger than any other activity. This can be attributed to the fact that driving is a goal oriented action whose purpose is to move from, spot A to spot B, in the shortest time possible. However, people simply and regularly thwart driving goals. In addition, driving is stressful activity that predisposes drivers and passengers to possible significant dangers. Impoliteness among drivers is widespread and consistently provokes irritation among its targets. As a result, drivers report frequently feeling irritated. Although ager may lead to aggressive driving, it is not a cause of aggressive driving. However, environmental, cultural and personality factors collectively cause irritated drivers to act aggressively behind the wheel. Factors that Impact on Aggressive Driving There is a strong relation between environmental settings and apparent driver aggression. For instance, there is a practically strong association between the length of the red phase and that of the green phase. At one hand, there is a tendency of drivers to hoot their horns or run the red lights when delayed by a vehicle that does not proceed during the green phase. On the other hand, congestion on roads also contributes to aggressive driving through seeking of preplanned routes. Time facilitation acts such as listening to music or radio also contribute to aggressive driving. Anger resulting to aggressive driving is more on congested roads than in those roads with heavy traffic. Cultural factors The concept of culture refers to collection of behaviors typically demonstrated by people with certain personalities. Beirness (1) risky or aggressive driving is associated with individuals whose culture is characterized by natural risk taking, impetuosity and displaying aggression. These characteristics appear to pervade all aspects of their lives, not only driving. Traffic Injury Research Foundation conducted a longitudinal research based on cultural factors associated with aggressive driving and came up with three subgroups with the same psychosocial and cultural characteristics (Beirness 56). People with tolerance to deviant behavior are classified as “thrill seekers”, and are more easily to be influenced by peers to engage in aggressive driving than any other group. Other people who are strongly attached their traditional values with high levels of self confidence hence less responsive to peer influence and they can be classified as “conventional”. Finally, the “inadequate”, this refers to those who portray low levels of self-confidence, less attachment to traditional values, hard to control anger, and poor educational performance. The thriller seeking group has a high probability of engaging in aggressive driving followed by the inadequate group than the conventional group. Personality factors People have various traits, which dispose them to various behavior situations regularly and doggedly. These traits constitute to how they behave not only in other activities but also on their driving activities. For instance, sensational seekers are found to more likely overtake other vehicles, change lanes frequently and less likely to put on their seat belts hence more aggressive in driving. Aggressive personality traits are also associated with recklessness in driving. However, both personality traits are common among the adolescent than among the adults. Negative Effects of Aggressive Driving on the Driver Due to the anger resulting from aggressive driving, violence is likely to erupt among the affected drivers. For instance, the drivers can get into a fight and they risk being shot, stubbed, beaten up, injured or run over (Beirness 96). However, assault is not limited to physical attacks and thus verbal abuse can also erupt in such a situation leading to frustration which lowers one's self-confidence Aggressive driving may lead to the driver losing control of the vehicle hence causing an accident which might kill a lot of people. As a result, the driver is proven quilt of murder resulting from aggressive driving. This leads to the driver ending to jail with a death sentence hence negatively affecting his life and his family’s life. The driver involved can also be heavily fined for reckless driving. Furthermore, a reckless driver has high chances of causing a risk his/her safety and that of others along the road as stated by Amanzholov (49). In such cases, the driver is likely to end his life and that of others by his/her own actions. In the course of an accident resulting from aggressive driving, other drivers and passengers can also face death which is a very great loss. In the course of aggressive driving, the driver can lose control and hit a ditch or even face a tremendous accident. This may lead to the wreckage of the vehicle which might be beyond repair. In other cases, the driver can hit on other people’s vehicle and thus be forced to pay them back which might lead to bankruptcy in a case where the driver is not insured. Aggressive driving has rendered many people disabled according to Beirness 106). This is a very significant challenge for anyone who was initially physical fit as it negatively affects their lifestyle. For instance, one can get depressed as they can not perform some duties they used to perform. In some extreme cases, one can be abandoned due to their disability, and this can cause a mental torture to the affected. When reckless drivers engage in an accident they risk losing their jobs. This is because they can incur injuries which results to them being unable to drive again or even being denied to have a driving license. Positive Effects of Aggressive Driving Almost no study has postulated the benefits or the positive aspets of aggressive driving. In this respect, it may only be imagined the potential benefits or effects of aggressive driving. Aggressive driving may well be applied in defence. Arguably, it may be noted that defensive driving is nothing short of aggressive driving. If this indeed is the case, then beyond doubt, aggressive drivers are good at managing crises on the road, whether as drivers or as problem solvers. Aggressive driving for example can be put to use when dealing with cases of almost inpenetrable traffick jams. A driver may well apply his/her aggressive tactics to manouvre the vehicle out of the jam in a manner orderly drivers would dare not. Yet again, aggressive drivers may handle the situation better in case of an attack by highway robbers, terrorists or people who are out to harm. Conclusion All the acts described above can be part of behaviors that contribute to aggressive driving and can as well provoke anger that leads to aggressive driving. Research results have indicated that aggressive driving occurs regularly and is a substantial contributor injury and death du to collissions. The positive aspects of aggressive driving are yet to be documented. However, the act may be useful in making drivers better handle crises on the road such as in avoiding or overcoming traffick jams and when escaping from dangerous situations. Works cited Amanzholov, Anuar. Analysis of Off-peak Traffic Signal Operations. ProQuest. 2008. Web. Beirness, D., The relationship between lifestyle factors and collisions involving young drivers, in (H. Simpson, Editor) New To The Road: Reducing The Risks For Young Motorists, Regents of the University of California, pp. 71-77. 1996. Print. Laig, Colleen. Aggressive driving. Center for Problem-Oriented Policing. 2010. Web. http://www.popcenter.org/problems/aggressive_driving/print/ Read More