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ToggleWhen you hear of aggressive driving, many things may come to mind. However, the state considers a variety of specific actions as aggressive driving, which are also unlawful.
Aggressive driving differs from road rage, but it still can put others’ lives in danger. As a result, someone who faces an aggressive driving charge also faces unwanted penalties.
Aggressive driving vs road rage
The Arizona Department of Public Safety discusses the differences between an aggressive driver and one who commits road rage. Both present a hazard to another, but the biggest difference is that road rage consists of a specific and willful disregard for safety. Someone charged with road rage commits a criminal offense, while someone charged with aggressive driving commits a traffic offense.
Factors that constitute aggressive driving
According to the Arizona Department of Transportation, an officer may charge you with aggressive driving if you are speeding, put another vehicle or person in immediate danger and commit two of the following:
- Change lanes unsafely
- Pass a vehicle on the right side
- Fail to yield to an emergency vehicle
- Follow too close to another vehicle
- Fail to follow traffic signs or signals
For aggressive driving, these acts must occur during an uninterrupted driving period.
Penalties for an aggressive driving conviction
For the first offense conviction, there may be a 30-day license suspension, and the defendant must attend and complete a Traffic Survival course. For a second or subsequence offense within 24 months of the previous one, it is a class one misdemeanor, which includes a license revocation for 12 months and possible fines, jail time or both.
Author Bio
Matthew L. Lopez
Matthew L. Lopez is the Managing Attorney and founder of Matthew Lopez Law, a criminal defense and DUI firm serving clients throughout Arizona. His track record of case dismissals and charge reductions has earned him honors, including a National Trial Lawyers Top 40 Under 40 nomination, a “Superb” 10/10 Avvo rating, and a Rising Star designation by Super Lawyers.
Matthew is a member of the National College for DUI Defense and holds active memberships with the Arizona Association for Criminal Justice and the Arizona Association for Justice. His firm handles criminal defense, DUI, drug charges, and traffic offenses, offering free consultations and affordable payment plans to make quality defense accessible to all Arizonans.
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