Dangerous, hostile, or impatient behavior behind the wheel - such as tailgating, weaving through traffic, speeding, brake-checking, or running lights - is commonly called aggressive driving.

It usually involves more than a simple mistake. The driver is acting in a way that raises the risk of a crash for everyone nearby, including people walking, biking, or working near the road. A person late for a shift who darts across lanes without signaling, follows too closely, and blows through a yellow light may be seen as driving aggressively even if no single move tells the whole story. Police, insurers, and courts often look at the pattern of behavior, not just one act.

That matters after a crash because aggressive driving can strengthen proof of negligence. A police report, witness statements, dashcam video, and skid-mark evidence may all help show that the driver created an unreasonable danger. If someone ends up at Maine Medical Center in Portland after a serious collision, evidence of aggressive driving can affect fault, insurance negotiations, and the value of an injury claim.

Maine does not have one standalone traffic offense labeled "aggressive driving." Instead, the behavior may be charged under laws such as reckless driving under 29-A M.R.S. § 2413 or other moving violations like speeding or following too closely. Those citations can become useful evidence in a later personal injury case.