Following a vehicle too closely, running red lights, making abrupt lane changes and driving at excessive speed are all hallmarks of aggressive driving. These behaviors can incur severe harm to people and property on the road, but more so if truck drivers do them.
Massive and heavy commercial trucks operated by hostile drivers are fraught with fatal risks. Identifying what triggers aggression can help drivers assess themselves and aid the trucking industry in improving its processes.
Potential causes of aggressive driving among truck drivers
Truck operators can wreak potentially deadly damages when they drive dangerously due to the following factors:
- Time constraints: Some cargo must be at its target destination within a specific time to avoid reducing its quality. So, truck drivers often feel pressured to make a timely delivery and receive monetary incentives. As a result, they tend to resort to speeding. Unfortunately, an Indiana crash study reveals that truck occupants are five times more likely to sustain injuries than other vehicles during a speeding incident.
- Traffic jams: Getting stuck in traffic for hours while managing a tight schedule to transport goods can provoke intensely negative emotions. Frustrating circumstances, such as unfavorable weather conditions and unreasonable drivers, can cause truck drivers to grow impatient and decide to exhibit risky behaviors.
- Training deficiencies: Some trucking companies do not invest in providing their employees with proper training to respond to various challenging scenarios on the road. Unfamiliarity with ways to address adverse situations may lead to poor decisions.
In worst cases, aggressive driving can escalate into road rage. The state has criminal penalties for offending truck drivers who display such extreme behavior through physically assaulting, and yelling or cursing at another driver.
Reasons for truck drivers to calm down
Aggressive driving endangers lives. But besides compromising human safety, it can also put properties at risk. In case of accidents, trucks may need substantial repairs or become irreparable. When this happens, a truck driver’s source of income and reputation in the company are on the line. With so much at stake, it will be wise to stay calm and seek legal guidance to prevent further damage.