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Aggressive drivers and road rage

General Knowledge3 minManual section 2.10

Heavy traffic and tight schedules make many drivers angry. Learn the difference between aggressive driving and road rage, how to keep yourself calm, and what to do when another driver gets aggressive with you.

What is it?

Aggressive driving and road rage are not new. But today heavy, slow traffic and tight schedules are normal, so more drivers take out their anger and frustration behind the wheel. Crowded roads leave little room for mistakes. This makes drivers suspicious and hostile, and they take other drivers' mistakes personally.

  • Aggressive driving: driving in a selfish, bold or pushy way, without caring about the rights or safety of others. Example: changing lanes often and suddenly without signaling.
  • Road rage: driving with the intent to harm others, or physically attacking a driver or their vehicle.

The key difference: aggressive driving is careless and pushy; road rage is intentional harm or assault. Road rage is a crime.

Don't be an aggressive driver

How you feel before you even start the engine has a lot to do with how stress affects you on the road.

  • Lower your stress before and while driving. Listen to calm, "easy listening" music.
  • Give driving your full attention. Do not get distracted by phone calls, eating and so on.
  • Be realistic about travel time. Expect delays from traffic, construction or bad weather, and plan for them.
  • If you will be late, accept it. Take a deep breath and deal with the delay.
  • Give others the benefit of the doubt. Imagine a reason why they drive that way. Whatever the reason, it is not about you.
  • Slow down and keep a reasonable following distance.
  • Do not drive slowly in the left lane.
  • Avoid gestures. Keep your hands on the wheel. Even small signs of irritation, like shaking your head, can anger another driver.
  • Be cautious and courteous. If someone wants to get in front of you, think "Be my guest." It soon becomes a habit, and other drivers will bother you less.

When an aggressive driver confronts you

  • First and most important: get out of their way.
  • Put your pride in the back seat. Never compete with them by speeding up or trying to "hold your own" in your lane.
  • Avoid eye contact.
  • Ignore gestures and refuse to react to them.
  • Report aggressive drivers to the proper authorities. Tell them what the vehicle looks like, its plate number, where you saw it and, if you can, which way it was heading.
  • Call the police by cell phone, but only if you can do it safely.
  • If the aggressive driver crashes farther down the road, stop a safe distance from the scene, wait for the police, and tell them what driving you saw.

References and scope

The topic reference is listed below. Sources support verification; the lesson itself is here. The current content needs technical and language review before public launch.

Manual reference: 2.10

Official CDL handbook · Utah ↗StatesOur editorial approach

Put it into practice

Educational questions with explanations. The answer review also works without the interactive quiz.

Preparing your questions…

Review questions with answers

  1. What is the difference between aggressive driving and road rage?
    1. They mean exactly the same thing
    2. Road rage is only honking; aggressive driving is speeding
    3. Aggressive driving is selfish and pushy; road rage is intent to harm or physical assault
    4. Aggressive driving is a crime; road rage is not
    Show answer
    Aggressive driving is selfish and pushy; road rage is intent to harm or physical assault

    Aggressive driving is selfish, bold or pushy driving without regard for others. Road rage is driving with intent to harm, or physically assaulting a driver or vehicle.

  2. Changing lanes often and suddenly without signaling is an example of:
    1. Aggressive driving
    2. Road rage
    3. Defensive driving
    4. Space management
    Show answer
    Aggressive driving

    Frequent, abrupt lane changes without notice are a classic example of aggressive driving.

  3. An aggressive driver is tailgating you and wants to get by. What should you do FIRST?
    1. Tap your brakes to warn them
    2. Speed up to keep your place
    3. Stay in your lane to hold your ground
    4. Make every attempt to get out of their way
    Show answer
    Make every attempt to get out of their way

    First and foremost, try to get out of the aggressive driver's way. Do not challenge them.

  4. When an aggressive driver makes angry gestures at you, you should:
    1. Make eye contact so they know you saw them
    2. Avoid eye contact and refuse to react
    3. Gesture back to show your feelings
    4. Slow down sharply in front of them
    Show answer
    Avoid eye contact and refuse to react

    Avoid eye contact, ignore gestures and refuse to react.

  5. When reporting an aggressive driver to the authorities, what information should you give?
    1. Only your own name and CDL number
    2. The color of the driver's shirt
    3. Vehicle description, license number, location and direction of travel
    4. The driver's home address
    Show answer
    Vehicle description, license number, location and direction of travel

    Report the vehicle description, license plate, location and, if possible, direction of travel.

  6. An aggressive driver you saw earlier has crashed farther down the road. You should:
    1. Stop a safe distance away, wait for police, and report what you saw
    2. Drive past quickly to avoid getting involved
    3. Stop next to the wreck and confront the driver
    4. Park in the traffic lane to block the scene
    Show answer
    Stop a safe distance away, wait for police, and report what you saw

    Stop a safe distance from the crash, wait for the police, and report the driving behavior you witnessed.

  7. Which habit helps you avoid becoming an aggressive driver?
    1. Driving slowly in the left lane
    2. Shaking your head at drivers who make mistakes
    3. Planning trips with no extra time
    4. Expecting delays from traffic, construction or weather and allowing for them
    Show answer
    Expecting delays from traffic, construction or weather and allowing for them

    Be realistic about travel time and expect delays; also avoid driving slowly in the left lane and avoid gestures, even shaking your head.

  8. Another driver seems eager to get in front of you. A good attitude is:
    1. "Not in my lane!"
    2. "Be my guest."
    3. "I will block them."
    4. "I will honk until they stop."
    Show answer
    "Be my guest."

    Saying "Be my guest" soon becomes a habit, and you will be less offended by other drivers' actions.

  9. How you feel before you start your vehicle has a lot to do with how stress affects you while driving. True or False?
    1. True
    2. False
    Show answer
    True

    True. Reduce your stress before and while you drive, for example by listening to calm music.

  10. An aggressive driver is trying to race you. "Putting your pride in the back seat" means:
    1. Racing them to prove a point
    2. Holding your speed so they cannot pass
    3. Not challenging them by speeding up or holding your own in your lane
    4. Following them closely to get their plate
    Show answer
    Not challenging them by speeding up or holding your own in your lane

    Do not challenge an aggressive driver by speeding up or trying to hold your own in the lane.

  11. If you have a cell phone, when should you call the police about an aggressive driver?
    1. Immediately, even while texting
    2. Only when you can do it safely
    3. Never; it is not allowed
    4. Only after the driver hits you
    Show answer
    Only when you can do it safely

    If you have a phone and can do it safely, call the police.