A study conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) showed that nearly 13,000 people suffered injuries or death since 1990 in car crashes caused by aggressive driving. That is a lot of injuries and deaths could have been prevented by making smarter choices behind the wheel.
Overall, one-third of traffic crashes and about two-thirds of traffic deaths can be attributed to aggressive driving, according to the NHTSA. More than 60 percent of drivers view unsafe driving as a major threat to themselves and their families. With more drivers on the road each year, aggressive driving will only get worse in the coming years.
Louisiana has recognized the aggressive driving epidemic and ways to deal with it. The state has a program called the Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP). It involves police, sheriffs and state troopers that will keep an eye out for aggressive driving behaviors. The state has also developed a comprehensive enforcement program to address tailgating, a typical form of aggressive driving.
The state has also provided overtime law enforcement grants to municipal agencies for conducing red light running campaigns. It is all part of Louisiana’s Strategic Highway Safety Plan to create new education programs aimed at preventing aggressive driving and saving lives.
Harrell & Nowak, L.L.C. – New Orleans accident lawyers