Every time you drive, you probably see people breaking the speed limit. Sometimes, it feels like every single driver is in a massive hurry, rushing to get to their destination as fast as possible.
There are numerous reasons why this happens. Many people just leave the house later than they anticipate and they feel like they’re always running behind. A lot of drivers will plan out exactly how much time they need to get to their destination, so any minor delay – like getting caught in traffic – puts them behind schedule.
But this mentality on the road is very problematic, especially for cyclists. Impatient drivers will often make mistakes and cause accidents that may injure the cyclists – all because they are in a rush.
Unsafe passes
One example of this is when a driver makes unsafe passes that put them too close to a cyclist. The driver knows that they don’t have room to get around while maintaining a safe and legal distance, but they don’t want to drive slowly behind the bike and wait for an opportunity to pass properly. Instead, they push their way through and risk hitting the cyclist or running them off the road.
Road rage and aggressive driving
In some cases, drivers who are in a hurry are more likely to act aggressively toward cyclists, who they perceive as impeding their progress. They may honk their horn, tailgate, swerve towards cyclist, make gestures out the window or do other things that escalate the situation and make an accident much more likely.
Unfortunately, it’s difficult to change how people think about their time and the pressure that they feel on the road. This means that drivers who are in a hurry will continue to cause serious accidents, and those who get injured need to know how to seek compensation.