• Obey posted speed limits. Allow extra travel time for traffic and bad weather.
  
• Always signal your intentions when turning or changing lanes.
  
• Come to a full stop at red lights and stop signs. Never run yellow lights.
  
• Never run yellow lights.

• Let other drivers pass and merge as necessary.
  
• On multi-lane highways, use the left lane for passing only.
  
• Avoid distracted driving, especially if using a cell phone.
  
• Refrain from unnecessary use of your horn.
  
• Pay attention to the special needs of those who drive trucks and buses, ride motorcycles and bicycles, and pedestrians.
  
• Wear your safety belt. It’s your best defense against an aggressive driver.
  

• Control your anger to avoid escalating the situation.
  
• Attempt to safely get out of his or her way.
  
• Avoid eye contact or obscene gestures.
  

This GHSB statewide campaign is coordinating extra state and local traffic enforcement, paid and earned media, along with community education to reduce aggressive driving during these mobilization periods:

Fall Mobilization

October 7 to 13, 2004

Spring Mobilization

April 4 to 17, 2005

The GHSB is funding the following initiatives for these mobilizations:·

• State Police will conduct extra traffic enforcement that targets aggressive drivers.
• Road Respect radio ads that will run statewide.

If a serious incident occurs, immediately contact the nearest police agency by dialing 911, even on a cellular phone. You can also report it to the Registry of Motor Vehicles using a Driver Complaint Form .

The Facts:

Aggressive driving is a growing and dangerous traffic issue, usually representing a combination of unsafe and unlawful driving actions that demonstrate a conscious and willful disregard for the safety of others. It is becoming a growing source of fatalities and injuries on our roadways.

Most are people who are not obeying traffic and safety laws and not using common sense, like the mother rushing to pick up her children at school, the employee hurrying to be at work on time, or the teen driver trying to impress his/her friends. There is also a small group of people who like the feel of power they experience when driving aggressively.

Speeding is aggressive driving and is a local problem. The speeding fatality rate for local roads is almost three times that of the interstate highways. More than 47% of speeding-related fatalities occur on lower speed "collector" and local roads. Yet these roads carry only 27.9% of the total vehicle miles traveled in the United States.

In contrast, the interstate highway system actually has the best safety record of all roads and the lowest fatality rate for mile traveled – 14% of speeding-related fatalities nationally occur here.

Distracted driving is dangerous and can lead to aggressive driving. Drivers in the U.S. spend a total of 500 million hours a week in their vehicles according to a recent survey. But it only takes one second for a driver to become distracted and a crash to occur. Driving instructors estimate that a driver makes an average of 200 decisions every mile that he or she drives. This leaves no room for multi-tasking behind the wheel.

Distracted driving – the presence of anything that can distract a driver's physical and mental attention from driving – is estimated to be a factor in between 25% to 50% of all national traffic crashes - that's between 4,000 and 8,000 crashes every day.

What to look for: Aggressive drivers….

• Fail to yield the right of way
• Follow too closely (tailgate)
• Switch lanes without signaling, pass improperly (unsafe lane changes)
• Speed
• Disobey traffic signals and signs (run red lights and stop signs)
• Drive recklessly (for example, prevent other motorists from passing)
  

Obey the following common sense rules of the road to help prevent aggressive driving:·

• Obey posted speed limits. Always allow extra travel time for unanticipated traffic and weather conditions.
• Maintain a reasonable distance between your car and the car in front of you; base the distance on your speed - the greater the speed, the greater the distance you should maintain between cars.
• Always signal your intentions when turning/changing lanes. · Always come to a full stop at red lights/stop signs. ·
• Don't run yellow lights.
• Let other drivers merge with you. ·
• Concentrate on your driving - not on your cell phone, stereo, food, passengers or other distractions.
• Drive in the middle and right lanes. Use the left lane for passing only. ·
• Use your horn sparingly, only to remind other drivers of your presence. ·
• Never make rude or obscene gestures to other drivers. ·
• Steer clear of aggressive drivers - let them go past.
• Pay closer attention to the special needs of those people who drive trucks and buses, ride motorcycles and bicycles, and those who are walking.

Remember that wearing your safety belt is the best way to protect yourself in the event of a serious incident caused by an aggressive driver.

When confronted by an aggressive driver…

• Control your anger to avoid escalating the situation.
• Attempt to get out of his or her way.
• Avoid eye contact or obscene gestures.
• If a serious incident occurs, immediately contact the nearest police agency by dialing 911.
  

Additional Links:

• The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s National Aggressive Driving Action Guide has more information on aggressive, distracted, and drowsy driving.
• The Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association has safety tips and additional information related to cellular phones and driving.
• The Network of Employers for Traffic Safety (NETS) can help employers educate their workers about the costs and dangers of aggressive driving. For information on the Massachusetts program, go to MassNETS.