Speeding and aggressive driving are considered very dangerous driving behaviors regardless of whatever reason you have for driving that fast. Speeding is usually a component of aggressive driving and is considered a traffic offense because it can endanger the lives of other people or pedestrians as well as property. A number of states in the US have adapted aggressive driving laws to penalize not only speeding but also beating the red light, failure to yield, getting too close a vehicle as well as improper passing to name a few.Speeding is the manner of handling a car in such a way that the vehicle speedometer reflects over the speed limit.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) defines aggressive driving as “generally understood to mean driving actions that markedly exceed the norms of safe driving behavior and that directly affect other road users by placing them in unnecessary danger.”
Speeding and aggressive driving especially in school and work zones in the USA should be checked and should be undertaken by the concerned state authorities as recommended by the Governors Highway Safety Association or GHSA. A national high visibility enforcement campaign on speeding and aggressive driving is also encouraged by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to promote good practices in automated strategies for enforcing speeding laws.
Can speeding and aggressive driving be resolved?
Records have shown that a high percentage of vehicle crashes are related to speeding and aggressive driving. Speeding-related crashes have increased motor vehicle fatalities such that effective countermeasures should be in place to avoid accidents.
State and local automated speed enforcement
One way of combating speeding problem as recommended by GHSA is to come up with a federal incentive grant program that will encourage states and local speed enforcement initiatives as well as the use of automated speed enforcement.
Strict reinforcement of anti-aggressive driving campaigns
Establishing speed limits is also one way of preventing vehicle crashes due to speeding and aggressive driving. This campaign should be well-publicized and vigorously reinforced. Vehicle manufactures and advertisers should also be advised to remake advertising notices to encourage safe driving instead of speeding. A campaign to discourage any aggressive driver should also be started to promote safety of not only pedestrians but also other motorists and bicycle users.