Road Rage Statistics

October 10, 2019 | Car Accidents,Personal Injury

We have all heard of road rage incidents, but do you really understand what the term “road rage” means? Aggressive driving has been a major problem since cars first became popular. With millions of vehicles on our state roadways each day, understanding what road rage is and how to avoid it can go a long way towards keeping you and your loved ones safe.

Defining Road Rage

Road range incidents include a multitude of activities on the road. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) defines road rage as when a driver “commits moving traffic offenses so as to endanger other persons or property; an assault with a motor vehicle or other dangerous weapon by the operator or passenger of one motor vehicle on the operators or passengers of another motor vehicle.”

There is a clear distinction between aggressive driving and road rage. Road rage is a criminal offense, where aggressive driving is typically a traffic offense.

Psychology Today says that incidents of road rage (along with their percentage of occurrence) can include:

• Intentionally tailgating (51 percent)
• Yelling at another driver (47 percent)
• Honking to show annoyance (45 percent)
• Trying to block another vehicle from changing lanes (24 percent)
• Cutting off another vehicle on purpose (12 percent)
• Getting out of the vehicle to confront another driver (4 percent)
• Bumping or ramming another vehicle intentionally (3 percent)

Drivers aged 25-39 are most likely to report tailgating, honking, gesturing, cutting off, yelling, and exiting to confront other drivers. Drivers aged 19-24 were most likely to report trying to block other vehicles from changing lanes or bumping into other vehicles intentionally. Male drivers are much more likely to engage in road rage behaviors.

Road Rage Test

Have you ever wondered if you are prone to road rage? Ask yourself these questions and give honest answers:

• Do you regularly drive above the speed limit or try to “beat” red lights?
• Do you honk your horn in anger regularly?
• Do tailgate other vehicles or flash your headlights at the driver in front of you think they are driving too slowly?
• Do you ever use obscene gestures at other drivers on the roadway?

If you answered yes to any of those questions, you could be susceptible to road rage. Road rage is often a sign of other issues related to a person’s life. If you have other life-stressors, then congested traffic and other careless drivers could trigger your road rage.

Do You Cause Road Rage?

Is there a chance you are causing another person’s road rage? Not that their behavior is excusable, but ask yourself the following questions:

• Do you keep your high beams on, even if there is oncoming traffic?
• Do you regularly use your phone while driving or driver distracted by something else?
• Do you make lane changes or turn without using your turn signal?
• Do you fail to check your blind spots before making a lane change?

If you answered yes to those questions, you may be the cause of another person’s road rage. You should always be aware of the roadway and never drive while distracted.

Handling Road Rage

If you find yourself in a road rage situation, whether you are at-fault for an incident or not, do not react or retaliate regardless of what they are doing. Engaging in the situation will only make it worse. If necessary, call 911 and report what is happening and get away if you can do so safely. If you are involved in an accident and have questions about filing a lawsuit, contact our Indianapolis accident attorney, Merry Fountain. We can help you get the compensation you deserve.