Truck accidents regularly occur throughout the state of Texas, with many caused by aggressive driving. The operator of any type of motor vehicle, truck or not, must understand the importance of defensive driving. This is the opposite of aggressive driving, in which a person makes decisions that could have a negative impact on him or herself, as well as others on the roadway at the same time.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there are many types of aggressive driving, with some of the most common including:
— Driving faster than the posted speed limit
— Following another driver too closely
– Making unsafe lane changes
— Failing to obey traffic devices, such as stop signs, traffic signals, and yield signs, among others
— Improper signaling of a lane change
All of these are examples of aggressive driving, with each offense having the potential to lead to an accident that results in injury or death.
Is aggressive driving the same as road rage? These may appear identical on the surface, but the NHTSA notes the following:
“Road rage differs from aggressive driving. It is a criminal offense and is ‘an assault with a motor vehicle or other dangerous weapon by the operator or passenger(s) of one motor vehicle on the operator or passenger(s) of another motor vehicle or is caused by an incident that occurred on a roadway.'”
When a trucker drives in an aggressive manner the likelihood of an accident increases. If a person is injured or killed by a negligent trucker, the victim or one’s family may consult with an attorney to learn more about local personal injury laws.
Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, “Define Aggressive Driving” Oct. 14, 2014