Chapter 7 · Lesson 19 of 38
Dangerous and aggressive driving
3 min read · Safe Vehicle Operation
Explanation
About one-third of Indiana traffic deaths are due to “dangerous driving”: aggressive driving, disregarding a signal, or speeding.
Under Indiana law, you commit aggressive driving if, during one episode of continuous driving, you do at least three of these:
- following a vehicle too closely;
- unsafe operation of a vehicle;
- passing another vehicle on the right by driving off the roadway;
- unsafe stopping or slowing;
- unnecessary sounding of the horn;
- failure to yield;
- failure to obey a traffic control device;
- driving at an unsafe speed;
- repeatedly flashing your headlights.
Example
A driver late for work tailgates, flashes his headlights at the car ahead, then passes it on the right by driving onto the shoulder. That is three listed acts in one trip — aggressive driving under Indiana law.
Common mistake
Thinking aggressive driving requires a crash or road rage. It is defined by the acts themselves: any three from the list in one episode of driving.
What the manual says
Approximately one-third of all Indiana traffic fatalities occur due to “dangerous driving.”
a person engages in aggressive driving if, during one episode of continuous driving of a vehicle, the person does or commits at least three of the following:
Sources
- Manual p. 45
“Approximately one-third of all Indiana traffic fatalities occur due to "dangerous driving."”
- Manual p. 45
“A dangerous driving accident is any collision stemming from a driver taking one or more of the following actions: aggressive driving, disregarding a signal, or speeding.”
- Manual p. 46
“a person engages in aggressive driving if, during one episode of continuous driving of a vehicle, the person does or commits at least three of the following:”
Check your understanding
Question 1 of 3