Aggressive driving is here to stay, the more hectic life gets, the fewer people care about courtesy

towards others. This is the main reason people drive the way they do. We all know that we should
stay calm, but this is not easy considering how things are organized or more appropriately
disorganized. The narrow streets, the number of public utility vehicles ( buses, jeepneys, tricycles )
allowed to operate and let’s be honest, the type of attitude their drivers have. There is also the
availability of easily obtained car and motorcycle financing. All these factors culminate to create
this chaos we have on the streets. If anything is going to change, it would have to start at an
individual level, the driver himself should leave the house with a conscious effort not to fall for
impatience and aggression, in other words, “stay cool”. A driver should adopt a nonreactive attitude
to avoid problems with rude drivers. Defensive driving is the best way to stay out of trouble.

Introduction

I.Attention Getter: Speeding, tailgating, giving the finger and outright

violence. Each day Americans grow more and more likely to take out
their personal frustrations on other drivers. It is called aggressive
driving and it is on the incline.

II. Definition: Driving is a curious combination of public and private

acts. A car isolates a driver from the world even as it carries him
through it. The sensation of personal power is intoxicating.
Aggressive driving includes such things as illegal or
improper lane changes or turns, failing to stop or yield right of way,
excessive speeds, and an assortment of gestures, looks and verbally
abusive language.

III. Connection: Everday we have to deal with these people on our

roads. We run a great risk just driving around the corner to go to the
store or a quiet trip to church. According to U.S. News and World
Report, the U.S. Department of Transportation estimates that two-
thirds of fatalities are at least partially caused by aggressive driving.
Fortunately, there is something we can do about it.

Body

Preview: To overcome aggressive driving we must first understand it.

I would like to share with you the problem, the dangers and the
solutions for this growing trend.

I. The Problem: The major cause of aggressive driving is the

discourteous or inattentive driver.

A. The number one cause is probably the “left-lane hog”, according

to a story in the Amarillo Daily News.

1. Other discourteous driving behaviors include failure to signal

before a lane change, changing lanes too closely to other drivers and
tailgating.

B. It is these seemingly unaware drivers that infuriate the aggressive

driver and trigger the Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde transformation.

1. Reduced enforcement, highway traffic, congestion or personal

issues also play a large role in the disposition of the aggressive
driver.

C. The angry driver then may demonstrate his displeasure by

speeding around the other vehicle, cutting the other driver off or
with a number of verbal and nonverbal messages.

Signpost: Though the driver may feel justified in his or her action,
this kind of display is most times very dangerous and often will
result in damage to either the vehicles, the drivers and nonverbal
messages.

I. The Dangers: As mentioned before, two-thirds of the 42,000

highway deaths last year were related to aggressive driving.
Open Document
OBJECTIVE:
Aggressive driving is consistently rated as the leading concern of motorists in our
metropolitan area, ahead of even "drunken driving." Few objective data exist on the
incidence of aggressive driving. The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence
of selected aggressive driving behaviors and to establish a baseline for future interventions
and research.
METHODS:
Speeding, traffic signal violations ("red-light running"), and stop-sign violations were
studied. Speeding data were recorded by inductance loops embedded in major roadways
(n = 10). Data were collected from red-light cameras (n = 73 cameras, 82 sites) and by
trained observers at intersections with traffic signals (n = 15) or stop signs (n = 15). Data
included total traffic volume, numbers of violations, and each violator's speed.
RESULTS:
The majority of motorists on major roadways drive at speeds exceeding the speed limit
and between 40% and 80% of vehicles were traveling at 10 mph or more over the speed
limit. Red-light running occurred at equivalent rates both by camera (1.5 violations/1,000
vehicles) and by observer (1.3 violations/1,000 vehicles). The absolute numbers of red-
light violations were extremely high (approximately 30,000 per month), and 16% violated
the signal at > 10 mph above the speed limit. The incidence of "at-speed" (i.e., without
slowing) stop-sign violations was dramatic (17.5 violations/1,000 vehicles). These were
confirmed by video review and represent high risk for crashes.

CONCLUSION:
Aggressive driving behaviors are frequent and often include very dangerous actions.
Currently available deterrents appear to have limited impact in our congested area.
Inadequate resources for enforcement and limited public awareness may be partially
responsible. We have adopted a multidisciplinary approach to this serious problem
including public education, stepped-up enforcement, and psychological treatments.