New York Insurance and Point Reduction Program
Module 1 Review
Traffic Crash Problems, DWI and Other Hazardous Acts, Aggressive
Driving and Road Rage
• Motor vehicle crashes are the number one cause of death for people ages 5 to 34 and account for
more than 95% of all transportation-related fatalities.
• Intersection safety is crucial to preventing motor vehicle crashes, because 40% of the all motor
vehicle crashes reported annually occur at intersections.
• In a recent year, there are almost 37,000 crash-related deaths nationally, more than 1,000 of
which were in New York.
• In addition to injuries and loss of life, the economic impact of traffic crashes is significant,
exceeding $240 billion, or an average of more than $700 per person, each year.
• In New York, the estimated monetary costs and quality-of-life losses for each injured survivor on
an alcohol-related crash averages $156,000.
• Nationwide, approximately 1.8 million people are injured annually on the roads. The
comprehensive cost, including both monetary costs and quality-of-life losses, for critically
injured crash survivors is estimated at more than $5 million per person.
• Inattentiveness to driving – including talking on a cell phone, eating while driving, etc. -- is a
major cause of motor vehicle fatalities and injuries in the United States.
• The “Three Es” address the prevention of motor vehicle crashes through education, engineering,
and enforcement.
• Driving under the influence of alcohol and other drugs increases your risk of crashes because
these substances reduce your ability to make good decisions.
• Drivers involved in fatal accidents while speeding are twice as likely as other drivers to be under
the influence of alcohol.
• Speeding is another major cause of motor vehicle crashes, accounting for more than 25% of all
fatal crashes. Younger drivers are more likely to speed than older drivers; male drivers under the
age of 35 are the most likely to be involved in a fatal crash while speeding.
• Aggressive driving is defined as the “operation of a motor vehicle in a selfish, bold or pushy
manner, without regard for the rights or safety of the other users of the streets and highways.”
• Aggressive driving may lead to road rage, when a driver acts in a violent manner toward others.
• Road rage is defined as “assault with a motor vehicle or other weapon by the operator or
passenger(s) of another motor vehicle that is caused by an incident that occurred on the
roadway.”
• Driving conditions including unexpected traffic and limited escape opportunities, along with
personal characteristics such as a general tendency towards anger or aggressiveness and belief in
one’s own superiority as a driver, increase the risk a person will drive aggressively.
• Do not attempt to “win” an encounter with an aggressive driver. Instead, stay calm and avoid
antagonizing the other driver while you focus on getting safely out of the way.