New research from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety (AAAFTS) finds that unsafe driving behaviors, including speeding, red-light running, drowsy driving and driving impaired on cannabis or alcohol, rose from 2020 to 2021. The survey also shows that road rage is a growing concern with 23% of drivers surveyed admitting to driving aggressively by switching lanes quickly or tailgating very close behind another car. That figure is up nearly 8% from 2020 to 2021.

Road rage includes purposefully tailgating; yelling at another driver; honking; making angry gestures; trying to block another vehicle from changing lanes; cutting off another vehicle on purpose; getting out of the vehicle to confront another driver; and even bumping or ramming another vehicle on purpose.

Interestingly, I have just received two emails from readers of these weekly articles telling me of their recent experiences. Following is a slightly edited (due to length) summary of what they had to say: “Hi Dave, I’m writing to say that there’s no such thing as manners or decorum on the road. 18 wheeled trucks flying up behind me, and tailgating for miles, people passing in the right lane, No one has a clue what yielding means when entering the traveled lane if the yield sign even exists anymore. Tailgating is the name of the game, people fly up behind you, only pulling out to pass when they’re 10′ from your back bumper, turn signals are strictly optional. I put on close to 10,000 miles in less than 3 weeks, and I guess I’m just venting to you. Nothing is going to change; it’s only going to get worse.”

And, from another reader a few weeks ago, this one from Saranac Lake:

“I’m just writing to bring it to your attention about how poorly people obey traffic laws in Saranac Lake. I was born here and have lived here most of my life. Both of my kids were born here. I’ve had people nearly take my car mirrors off because they choose to use the shoulder and bike lanes to make turns. I’ve been nearly T-boned by people blowing through stop signs and blowing around stopped cars in traffic and nearly hitting me when I’m turning. I’ve had people blow around me at the red light between the schools and the one in front of Fusion Mart. I’ve been nearly hit by people blowing through the stop signs at NBT bank.”

“I’ve seen people doing almost double the speed limit next to the school. I’ve been forced out of my lane by other drivers that can’t stay in their own lane. I’ve been cut off by people who cut in line at red lights. I’m sorry but this has become a huge problem ever since covid of people just not caring about traffic laws and safety. I’ve had to get a dash cam for my vehicle just to make sure my kids and I are safer when I’m driving. I hope you can do a story about this and bring it to people’s attention as well as to the town leaders’ attention too. Thank you very much.”

Here are two totally unsolicited, detailed stories from local area drivers that find aggressive driving and lack of compliance with vehicle and traffic laws bad enough to email their stories to me in hopes that I can address it in my column. Glad to do it, and thanks to both and to David Stewart for the information from AAAFTS.