DALLAS — If you are a driver, you already know driving anywhere in North Texas can be a doozy, especially during rush hour.
And aggressive drivers only make that worse.
It’s why the Dallas Police Department is focused on lowering how many times incidents of road rage happen on Dallas highways.
DPD says there were a little over 800 offenses that fell under that category last year.
I reached out to the department about what exactly is road rage, and they say it’s the aggressive driving that turns into some type of altercation with another driver.
“If we got into an altercation on the road and I threw something and damaged your vehicle, or anything from I pointed a gun at you, which would be a deadly conduct or aggravated assault offense,” said Lt. Stephen Forman of the Dallas Police Department.
To reduce the number of times this happens, DPD plans to do monthly operations in places where they say these incidents are most likely to occur – focusing first on speeding.
“A lot of it stems from speeding, aggressive drivers are in a hurry and that's kind of all based around speed,” Forman said.
Texas doesn't have an actual road rage offense on the books, but with multiple violations, you could be charged with reckless driving. That means anything from excessive speeding to unsafe lane changes, weaving in and out of traffic, or just general disregard for the safety of other drivers.
“It's a misdemeanor fine not to exceed $200, confinement in jail for 30 days,” he said.
DPD’s advice to avoid becoming a road rager yourself? Slow down, give yourself enough time to get where you're going, and think about the other people around you on the road.
As always, if you have a traffic concern in your area, you can email us here.