Delaware targets aggressive drivers. What is considered aggressive driving

New traffic laws are now the books in Delaware to improve road safety and target aggressive and reckless driving.

A recent study named Delaware one of the states with the most road rage in the United States. Delaware ranks at No. 7 with a final road rage score of 69.6 on a scale of 40 to 100.

In 2024, there have been over 26,700 arrests for aggressive driving, according to Delaware State Police. In 2023, there were more than 43,600 arrests, an increase of 22% from the previous year.

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Aggressive driving contributed to 139 crashes, one fatal, in 2023, according to an annual traffic statistical report.

State law defines aggressive driving as doing three or more of the following:

• Disobeying traffic control devices unless directed by a police officer or making way for emergency vehicles.
• Disobeying traffic lights.
• Passing another vehicle on the right except if making a right turn or passing safely on a two-lane, same-direction roadway or one-way.
• Not staying within the correct lane on any road and disobeying signals related to lanes.
• Following another vehicle too closely. The law states 300 feet is the limit when conditions permit.
• Not properly yielding right-of-way on a left turn.
• Not properly yielding right-of-way when entering a roadway.
• Not using a signal with sufficient distance before a turn. State law states the proper distance is "not less than the last 300 feet or more than a half-mile traveled by the vehicle before turning."
• Not making a full stop at stop signs and not properly yielding at yield signs.
• Passing or overtaking a school bus when it is stopped with flashing signs and lights.
• Driving at an unreasonable speed going into turns, hill crests, intersections and more.
• Exceeding listed speed limits.

For violating the aggressive driving law, someone can be fined between $100 and $300 for their first offense with up to 30 days of imprisonment. Penalties get more severe with subsequent offenses within three years of a former offense. Whoever violates these laws will also have to take a driving course given by the state.

Delaware lawmakers have taken several steps to improve highway safety over the last two years.

A bill passed through the state Legislature in late June that would restrict vehicles' ability to travel in the left lane of express parts of I-495 and Route 1.

In 2023, Gov. John Carney signed new road safety regulations into law, including:

• Making speeding violations of over 90 miles per hour reckless driving offenses.
• Requiring vehicles to slow down or change lanes when approaching a stopped or stalled vehicle on the road or shoulder if they are displaying signals.
• Requiring motorcyclists to wear helmets in their first two years of having a motorcycle endorsement.
• Specifies which car seat and harness is legal for young children with different ages and sizes.
• Changing the color of lights on state-owned snow plows from white to green.
• A five-year trial for automatic speed cameras in work and residential zones.

In May 2024, the Delaware State Police also created the 11-person unit of the Highway Safety Unit, which will patrol I-95 from Pennsylvania to Maryland, I-495, I-295 and the entirety of Route 1. They will also enforce laws on roads they deem to be "high intensity" based on speed, crash and aggressive driving data.

“The HSU is a proactive initiative to combat traffic safety challenges in Delaware. We are committed to deploying our resources strategically to address areas of concern and promote safer driving behaviors,” Col. Melissa Zebley, superintendent of the Delaware State Police, said in a release in May 2024.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Delaware targets aggressive drivers. What is considered aggressive driving