This project was completed under the Traffic Safety Culture Transportation Pooled Fund (TPF) project TPF-5(444). For more information on this TPF please visit the Traffic Safety Culture webpage.
Aggressive driving is a topic of interest to most states because it increases crash risk and there is evidence suggesting aggressive driving has been increasing, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic (Office of Behavioral Safety Research, 2021). Aggressive driving is an umbrella term often used to describe a variety of risky driving behaviors (i.e., speeding, tailgating, failing to yield, preventing others from passing, running stop signs and red lights, etc.). Aggressive driving is also commonly used to describe a driver’s affective motivation (i.e., annoyance, hostility, anger, impatience, etc.) to engage in risky driving behaviors. Without consensus on what defines aggressive driving, it has been difficult to understand what factors precipitate such behaviors and what strategies effectively prevent and reduce the incidence of aggressive driving behavior.
How aggressive driving is defined, what factors precipitate such behavior, and what strategies effectively prevent and reduce the incidence of aggressive driving behavior are not widely understood. The proposed research seeks to address these gaps by proposing a two-phase project. In Phase 1, a literature review will be conducted to define aggressive driving and formulate a contextual model to explain its occurrence. A road users survey will also be developed and implemented to identify and differentiate clusters of driving behaviors that are perceived as “aggressive.” The research completed in Phase 1 will be used to develop resources to help traffic safety stakeholders guide decision making and conversations about aggressive driving. The work completed in Phase 1 will also be used in Phase 2 to develop strategies to prevent and reduce the incidence of aggressive driving behavior.
Phase 1
Final Report
Traffic Safety Practitioners Resource