Kentucky Office of Highway Safety Fights Aggressive Drivers

Three elderly siblings in Kentucky apparently took their family feud to the road last week, with one of the brothers ramming his van into another vehicle driven by his brother, where his sister was a passenger. According to Lex18.com, the road rage incident had the two vans driving in excess of 100 miles per hour at some points down I-75, KY 461 and US 150, approximately 70 miles south of Lexington, KY.

In the wake of the highway incident, the 83-year-old sister was airlifted to the hospital and was listed as critical; the 82-year-old brother was airlifted to the hospital and later released; a commercial van was struck; and a tractor-trailer was later hit as the 78-year-old brother chasing the others fled the scene, according to the news article. A trooper responding to the call was involved in a separate accident. The younger brother faces several criminal charges, according to the article.

It is unclear what provoked the driver in this incident, but the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has stated that road rage often begins with an aggressive driver. Whether it is the aggressive driver or another affected by the driver’s tactics, a driver’s attitude can quickly escalate into road rage, resulting in the potential for bumping other vehicles and even resorting to the use of a firearm, leaving innocent victims seriously injured.

According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), aggressive driving is a factor in thousands of fatal car crashes nationwide. Further, the NHTSA says of the approximately 6,800,000 crashes in the United States each year, “a substantial number” are caused by aggressive driving.

The Kentucky Office of Highway Safety defines aggressive driving as “operating a motor vehicle in a selfish, pushy, or impatient manner, often unsafely, that directly affects other drivers.” Aggressive driving often includes speeding, improper lane changes, following too closely, disregarding traffic control signals or signs, honking the horn, flashing lights and tailgating. The Office of Highway Safety has identified aggressive driving as an area that needs attention.

As part of the state’s campaign to combat aggressive driving, Kentucky joined forces with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to participate in the Ticketing Aggressive Cars and Trucks (TACT) pilot program beginning in 2007.

TACT targets excessive speeding, improper lane changing, reckless driving and not leaving sufficient space around commercial vehicles. The Kentucky TACT Program focused on two high-volume, high-crash interstate areas: one in northern Kentucky on I-75 (Covington County) and the other along I-65 (in Jefferson and Bullitt Counties). Officials selected these areas due to the high number of crashes involving trucks.

According to the Kentucky State Police, the “Don’t Get a Ticket, Leave More Space” campaign resulted in a 36-percent decrease in injury collisions involving commercial motor vehicles in the I-75 enforcement corridor, and a 45 percent decrease on the I-65 enforcement corridor during the year of enforcement, compared to the previous three-year average. Due to the success of the program, Kentucky said it would continue the program.

The Kentucky Office of Highway Safety offers the following tips to avoid an incident with an aggressive driver: 

• Make every attempt to get out of the aggressive driver’s way.
• Put your pride aside and do not challenge or provoke the other driver.
• Avoid eye contact.
• Ignore gestures and refuse to return them.
• Wear your seat belt.
• Report the aggressive driver to the police, providing a vehicle description, license number, location, and if possible, direction of travel.

Legally, there are differences between aggressive driving and road rage. However, if you are the victim of either act of dangerous or reckless driving, the result can be the same – serious personal injury or even death of a loved one.

Our Kentucky car accident attorneys realize that driving can be stressful, but we encourage all Kentucky residents to stay calm when on the roadway and to avoid drivers that are acting in a malicious manner. No one is safe on the highways with aggressive drivers.

Contact the Frank Jenkins Law Office Today

The Kentucky vehicle accident attorneys at Frank Jenkins Law Office in Lexington understand that when you have been hurt in an aggressive driving accident, medical treatment is often your primary concern – but paying for your medical bills soon becomes a priority. When a reckless driver causes your injuries, you should not have to worry about the bills for the medical care that you need. It is our job to fight for your rights so that you can concentrate on your health and family while we deal with the insurers and those responsible for your injuries.

We can help you and your family following a Kentucky car accident. Call our injury lawyers today at 859-389-9344 or contact us via email. You can also contact us online for a FREE CONSULTATION.