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Aggressive Driving

Report an Aggressive Driver

By definition, aggressive driving is “The commission of two or more moving violations that is likely to endanger other persons or property, or any single intentional violation that requires a defensive reaction of another driver.” Or in other terms, it’s risky driving behavior that can potentially escalate to serious violence.

Incidents in-progress should immediately be reported by calling
9-1-1.

 

The reduction in incidents of road rage and aggressive driving is critical to the mission of the WSP. While troopers and other law enforcement agencies are always on the lookout for aggressive driving, experience has shown that significant steps to improve traffic safety in this nation are made when citizens act.

If you have witnessed or been a victim of an aggressive driving act, please call 9-1-1 and provide the following information:

• The location that you last saw the vehicle
• Plate number (if known)
• Direction of travel (toward where)
• What road or highway
• Color/colors of the vehicles
• Were weapons involved
• What happened
• Are you a victim or a witness

Safety Tips

Allow plenty of time for the trip, listen to soothing music, improve the comfort in your vehicle, and understand that you cannot control the traffic, only your reaction to it. In the end, we may very well discover that personal frustration, anger, and impatience may be the most dangerous “drugs” on the highway.

• Be polite and courteous, even if the other driver is not. Avoid all conflict if possible. If another driver challenges you, take a deep breath and move out of the way. Never underestimate the other driver’s capacity for mayhem.
• When entering traffic or changing lanes, make sure that you have enough room.
• Make sure you have established a safe following distance between your vehicle and the one in front of you. For more information, see the Driving safety and accidents page on the DOL Web Site.
• Don’t make aggressive hand gestures to the other drivers when they offend you with their driving.
• Signal when turning or changing lanes.
• Control your anger; remember it takes two to start a fight.
• Avoid prolonged eye contact with the bad or angry driver.
• Get help. Call police on your cell phone or go to a public telephone or place. Don’t pull to the side of the road.
• Forget about winning. No one wins in a highway crash.
• Put yourself in the other driver’s shoes. They may be driving that way because of an actual emergency!

Contact us

Mailing Address
Washington State Patrol
PO Box 42600
Olympia, WA 98504

Physical Address
Washington State Patrol
Helen Sommers Building
106 11th Avenue SW
Olympia, WA 98501

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