New Study Finds Aggressive Driving is a Major Factor in Fatal Auto Accidents
Approximately 56% of auto crashes that resulted in a death were tied to aggressive driving according to a recent study by the AAA Foundation. The AAA study examined almost 200,000 auto crashes that resulted in over 210,000 deaths in the U.S. from 2003 - 2007. Numerous people were also interviewed to determine their concerns and driving habits. Aggressive driving is one of those terms where you often know it when you see it, but for the purposes of this study, it included speeding, improper lane changes, driving on the shoulders of the road, illegal passing, speeding up to beat a yellow light, running a red light, failing to signal, ignoring road signs and failing to yield the right of way.
It seems obvious to say that the more responsible and defensive people drive, the fewer serious and fatal accidents we will have. This study confirms that and quantifies that statement to a degree. It was also interesting that most people interviewed recognized aggressive driving as a serious problem that contributes to serious accidents, but many of those same people admit to aggressive driving themselves. For instance, those people surveyed admitted to the following (males under 40 years old were the worst offenders):
- driving 15 mph over the speed limit in the last 30 days: almost 50%
- speeding up to beat a yellow light: 58%
- tailgating: 22%
- running red lights: 6% (I'm guessing this number should be higher.)
In many wrongful death lawsuits resulting from serious fatal crashes, this kind of aggressive driving is a factor as this study would suggest. As wrongful death attorneys, it is our job to uncover the evidence of such aggressive driving on the part of the at-fault driver and show how it caused the accident and the tragic loss of life.
