I'm pleased to present the winter 2006 online edition of Perspective, PEMCO's customer newsletter. Thank you for subscribing. We've now issued three online editions, and I'm glad you find this e-mail version useful and convenient. As always, feel free to share Perspective with your friends, and watch for the spring issue coming out in May. I welcome your feedback about Perspective. Simply send your comments to perspective@pemco.com.

Jon Osterberg
Perspective editor

Are you an aggressive driver?

In a survey by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), about 30% of respondents said that in the past month, they felt their personal safety had been threatened by drivers displaying behaviors like weaving, tailgating, and making unsafe lane changes. That figure jumped to 67% when asked about their perceptions over the past year.

While aggressive driving is different from road rage (a criminal, rather than traffic, offense), it can easily escalate into its more deadly counterpart.

On its Web site, NHTSA offers a 38-question test to help drivers rate their own aggressiveness. A surprising number of behaviors can add to what NHTSA calls an "aggressive driving atmosphere."

For example, do you always:

• Overtake vehicles only on the left?
  
• Use turn signals for all turns and lane changes?
  
• Avoid using your cell phone when driving?

A "no" answer to any of those questions pegs you higher on the aggressiveness scale! For a bit of an eye-opener, take the full test at www.nhtsa.gov (search "are you an aggressive driver or a smooth operator").