Encounters with aggressive drivers can be annoying. But encountering someone with road rage can be just plain scary. You should never have to worry about someone trying to harm you while you're driving, but sadly, it is a possibility.
What Is Road Rage?
Road rage is the act of wanting to physically punish another driver due to their driving style or a mistake they made. Road rage includes behaviors like:
Brake checking
Ramming another car with your car
Getting out of your vehicle and trying to fight another driver
Threatening someone with a weapon
Road Rage Statistics
A poll of 1,500 American drivers conducted in 2021 asked drivers what signs of road rage they witnessed the most:
45% of drivers saw one driver honking their horn at another driver in anger.
39% of drivers saw a driver make rude hand gestures towards another driver.
6% of drivers actually witnessed a physical altercation between drivers.
The survey also asked drivers how often they felt angry while driving, and 19% did in the past year, 5% did every week, and 3% felt angry every time they sat behind the wheel.
So it's clear that road rage happens a lot — but how fatal is it? The NHTSA estimates that for every 2,300 automobile fatalities, one is due to road rage. This means that of the 43,000 deaths in 2021, around 20 were due to road rage.
Unsurprisingly, there are also a large number of firearm-related cases of road rage, some of which proved to be fatal. A Trace study showed Texas was by far the worst state with 467 gun-related incidents, where 358 drivers got shot and 87 people died. Florida was the second worst state with 304 incidents, followed by California with 179. Overall, the United States saw a 98% increase in gun-related road rage from 2017 to 2021.
What Is the Difference Between Aggressive Driving and Road Rage?
Many people may think aggressive driving and road rage are one and the same, but road rage takes aggressive driving a step too far. While aggressive driving includes speeding and tailgating, road rage is when you want to cause physical harm to another driver. Another thing that separates the two is the punishment. Aggressive driving is only a traffic violation while you can get a criminal offense for your road rage.
How Do You Prevent Road Rage?
There are a few simple steps you can take to calm any case of road rage that may arise:
Be prepared for your drive — Leave early to prevent any stress that may come from being late.
Forgive other drivers — You don't need to punish drivers for a mistake they make. Avoid tailgating, yield to others, and use turn signals even though others may not.
Have a stress-free car — Play relaxing music, use calming scents, and remove any negative distractions to keep you at peace.
Know your triggers — If you know what triggers your road rage, then you can avoid it. Whether it's a high traffic route or slow drivers, try a more scenic route to avoid things like these.
If you end up in a situation where a driver is trying to take out their anger on you, keep these ideas in mind:
Move out of their way.
Avoid eye contact.
Stay calm.
Call 911 or drive to a police station if an enraged driver is following you.
Safety is the number one priority if you encounter an aggressive driver. There is no reason to make the situation turn potentially deadly by following their aggressive ways.
Protect Yourself from Drivers with Road Rage
While it is impossible to predict when another driver around you is going to enter a state of road rage, it is best to know how to avoid it. Learning how to drive defensively is one way to counter a driver with road rage. You can learn how to drive defensively by taking a course at IDriveSafely.com. Our 100% online courses allow you to learn on your own schedule without any hassles.
Updated 8/17/22
