aggressive driving

Published on: July 15, 2026

Protect Yourself Against Road Rage

While driving down the highway, you don’t expect to be the victim of gun violence, but that’s exactly what happened to a man in Troup County on July 14. He was driving on I-85 South near Hogansville when a van in front cut him off. He blew the horn and proceeded to use the Hogansville exit when he was followed and then shot. One of the bullets went through his car and pierced his leg. Police pursued the suspect who was arrested and charged with aggravated assault and discharging a firearm from a moving vehicle. The injured man was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.

Such extreme occurrences are rare, but aggressive driving and road rage are not. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration distinguishes between aggressive driving and road rage. Aggressive driving is a traffic offense, and includes actions such as tailgating, weaving in and out of traffic, running redlights, changing lanes without signaling, and speeding in heavy traffic. Road rage, on the other hand, is a criminal charge that includes rude hand gestures, forcing another car off the road, bumping another vehicle, brake checking or flashing lights to intimidate other drivers, confronting other drivers, and physical assault, including physical assault with a weapon. One type of road rage, gun violence in vehicles, has gone up since 2020. The Gun Violence Archive, a nonprofit that measures injuries from gun violence in vehicles, shows that injuries and fatalities rose after 2020, peaking in 2022 with 148 people killed and 421 injured.

Exact statistics of road rage can be difficult to determine, as states measure it differently or apply instances of road rage to other criminal categories. As of July 2026, only ten states have laws directly penalizing road rage. In Georgia for instance, there is no law specifically against road rage, so prosecutors apply laws against aggravated assault, terroristic threats, reckless conduct, criminal damage to property, and weapons offenses. However, the Department of Transportation does track fatal crashes caused by poor driving. While Georgia is not one of the top states, the city of Macon, Georgia was cited in 2021 for being the top fourth city in the U.S. for these fatalities, with 10.2 fatal crashes per 100K people. This city’s rate of aggressive driving is also double the national average.

Published on: February 13, 2022

How to Avoid Accidents Caused by Stressed Driving

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

It’s no secret that stress levels have skyrocketed in people over the last couple of years, and one of the effects of this increase can be seen in the spike in the number of car accidents across Georgia last year, many of which have resulted in serious injuries.

The unusual circumstances of the pandemic have only exacerbated pre-existing stress and anxiety levels of Atlanta motorists. In addition to the stress caused by work, family, or children, motorists now find themselves having to deal with uncertain prospects and a sluggish economy. All of these factors can contribute to reducing a driver’s ability to drive safely. Driving can be a stressful affair, especially if you are driving at night or on busy routes. Driving on unfamiliar roads can also increase stress levels. All of these factors are compounded in drivers who are already dealing with other forms of anxiety, causing them to become irritable, anxious and unable to focus on the task of driving.

Here are some ways that you can reduce stress while driving. While these tips may not help to alleviate stress caused by work or external factors, they can help you maintain optimum concentration levels at the wheel.

Published on: October 20, 2021

Are You At Risk of Road Rage?

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Auto accidents caused by road rage are on the rise. Traffic in the metro Atlanta area is notorious and surely the source of many road rage incidents. According to some estimates, as many as 1,700 people suffer severe or fatal injuries in accidents caused directly by road rage every year.

Road rage goes beyond being angry or aggressive. Driving a car, especially while alone, can be a stressful situation, and a person driving under stress can make for a dangerous driver. Some people are more like to suffer from road rage. According to experts, persons with a Type A personality who are more competitive and aggressive in their daily lives are also more likely to show aggressive tendencies while driving. These tendencies could actually place them at risk of an accident.

If you are curious about whether you have the makings of an angry driver, ask yourself these questions. Do you often leave home late, and then find yourself irritable that other motorists aren’t giving way for you like they should so you can reach your destination on time? Do you often found yourself cursing at other motorists or making rude gestures? Do you feel like all other motorists around you are bad drivers, and therefore need to be taught a lesson so that they don’t repeat such poor driving behaviors? If you’ve answered “yes” to all of these questions, you may be at risk of road rage and not even know it.

Published on: March 13, 2019

Aggressive Speeding Drivers Cause the Most Serious Accidents

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Atlanta recently received the dubious honor of being ranked 4^th in the nation for having the most aggressive drivers, according to GasBuddy. Aggressive driving involves hard braking, swerving, but most often speeding. Accidents caused by speeding kill more people than any other accident factor, including drunk driving or distracted driving.

In the U.S, speeding accounts for at least one-third of all traffic fatalities every year, and has continued to be the single biggest factor contributing to crashes over the past two decades. In 2017, the last year for which conclusive data is available, speeding caused 27 percent of all traffic fatalities.

Speeding is a major traffic safety issue primarily because of the tremendous impact that results in an accident caused by speeding, compared to a moderate-speed accident. There are a number of other safety concerns associated with speeding. For example, data shows that motorists who are more prone to drive at high speeds are prone to other risk factors such as a failure to wear seatbelts. In 2016, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, about 49 percent of all people who died in speeding-related accidents were not wearing their seatbelts at the time of the crash, compared to 21 percent of motorists who were not in high-speed accidents.

Published on: July 22, 2015

Filing a Claim against an Aggressive Driver

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Aggressive driving is defined as driving that involves a combination of one or more traffic offenses that place other motorists at risk of an accident. If you have been involved in a motor vehicle accident involving an aggressive driver, it’s important to understand your legal rights and hire the best attorney.

An aggressive driver could be engaged in a number of different driving practices that threaten his own safety, and the safety of people around him. Aggressive drivers often don’t consider the human element, and have little regard for the safety of other motorists, cyclists and pedestrians. Simply stated, a motor vehicle in the hands of an aggressive driver turns into a dangerous weapon.

Typically, the following driving behaviors may be included in the definition of aggressive driving.

Published on: June 17, 2009

Could Atlanta’s Angry Drivers Increase the Risk of Auto Accidents?

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Last month, we reported that Georgia’s drivers ranked poorly in a survey of motorists based on their knowledge of safe driving practices. As it turns out, motorists in the state’s capital may not only be lacking in their knowledge of safe driving, but may also be aggressive to boot.

According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, a new survey has placed Atlanta among the five worst cities in the country as far as road rage and aggressive driving are concerned. Drivers in New York are reportedly the worst, with Dallas Fort Worth, Detroit and Minneapolis-St. Paul following. What that means is that motorists in these cities and Atlanta are more likely to tailgate or make rude gestures, weave in and out of traffic lanes and indulge in other forms of aggressive behavior.

Road rage incidents are more common in metropolitan cities that have busy roads. Congested roads mean traffic delays, and consequently, frayed tempers.