Today, the phrase “aggressive driver” is confusing because it seems to refer to a wide variety of driving behaviors. This phrase lumps the person who drives over the speed limit while failing to use a turn signal into the same category as someone who commits vehicular homicide. Most drivers don’t have homicide in mind when they drive aggressively. They’re either feeling angry over the actions of another driver, or they drive that way out of habit, or it’s a purely tactical if dangerous form of driving.
Some commercial or owner operator truck drivers aren’t strangers to aggressive driving in the sense that their driving violates the law and endangers the people affected by it such as the motorist tailgated by a truck driver. As in the case of motorists, truckers drive aggressively out of pure emotion, out of habit, or as a tactical maneuver to gain or preserve a traffic advantage.
While different states have their own definitions of aggressive driving, many revolve around committing specific combinations of traffic offenses. If a truck driver commits the “wrong” combination of traffic offenses, the police officer will cite him for the offenses and check off the aggressive driving box in the traffic ticket. That single check mark may have greater consequences for the truck driver’s career than the individual offenses themselves.
Many motor carriers won’t hire truck drivers with a poor driving record. This is done for good reason. Statistics show that convictions associated with violations common to aggressive drivers increase the trucker’s likelihood of a future crash.
In addition to putting their career at risk, aggressive truck drivers can cause horrific accidents involving the loss of life. Even if a driver has managed so far to drive aggressively without consequence, statistics will catch up to him or her because it’s only a matter of time. Some truck drivers will counter that motorists commit the vast majority of aggressive driving offenses. While this is true, it doesn’t make the actions of the aggressive truck driver any less dangerous to the public. Finally, aggressive truck drivers increase both the fuel and maintenance costs of their employers.
Contact us today for information about our commercial or owner operator truck insurance offerings in Texas.
