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Fancy/Veer/Corbis/Getty Images July 08, 2022 Sara Coleman is an insurance contributor at Bankrate. She has a couple of years of experience in writing for insurance domains such as The Simple Dollar, Reviews.com, Coverage.com and numerous other personal finance sites. She writes about insurance products such as auto, homeowners, renters and disability. Mariah Posey is an auto and homeowners insurance writer and editor for Bankrate.com. She aims to make the insurance journey as convenient as possible by keeping the reader at the forefront of her mind in her work. Bankrate logo

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At Bankrate, we strive to help you make smarter financial decisions. To help readers understand how insurance affects their finances, we have licensed insurance professionals on staff who have spent a combined 47 years in the auto, home and life insurance industries. While we adhere to strict editorial integrity, this post may contain references to products from our partners. Here's an explanation of how we make money. Our content is backed by LLC, a licensed entity (NPN: 19966249). For more information, please see our Insurance Disclosure. Bankrate logo

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Founded in 1976, Bankrate has a long track record of helping people make smart financial choices. We’ve maintained this reputation for over four decades by demystifying the financial decision-making process and giving people confidence in which actions to take next. Bankrate follows a strict , so you can trust that we’re putting your interests first. All of our content is authored by and edited by , who ensure everything we publish is objective, accurate and trustworthy. Our insurance team is composed of agents, data analysts, and customers like you. They focus on the points consumers care about most — price, customer service, policy features and savings opportunities — so you can feel confident about which provider is right for you. We guide you throughout your search and help you understand your coverage options. We provide up-to-date, reliable market information to help you make confident decisions. We reduce industry jargon so you get the clearest form of information possible. All providers discussed on our site are vetted based on the value they provide. And we constantly review our criteria to ensure we’re putting accuracy first. Bankrate logo

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You have money questions. Bankrate has answers. Our experts have been helping you master your money for over four decades. We continually strive to provide consumers with the expert advice and tools needed to succeed throughout life’s financial journey. Bankrate follows a strict , so you can trust that our content is honest and accurate. Our award-winning editors and reporters create honest and accurate content to help you make the right financial decisions. The content created by our editorial staff is objective, factual, and not influenced by our advertisers. We’re transparent about how we are able to bring quality content, competitive rates, and useful tools to you by explaining how we make money. Bankrate.com is an independent, advertising-supported publisher and comparison service. We are compensated in exchange for placement of sponsored products and, services, or by you clicking on certain links posted on our site. Therefore, this compensation may impact how, where and in what order products appear within listing categories. Other factors, such as our own proprietary website rules and whether a product is offered in your area or at your self-selected credit score range can also impact how and where products appear on this site. While we strive to provide a wide range offers, Bankrate does not include information about every financial or credit product or service. Bankrate logo

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Coverage.com, LLC is a licensed insurance producer (NPN: 19966249). Coverage.com services are only available in . Coverage.com may not offer insurance coverage in all states or scenarios. All insurance products are governed by the terms in the applicable insurance policy, and all related decisions (such as approval for coverage, premiums, commissions and fees) and policy obligations are the sole responsibility of the underwriting insurer. The information on this site does not modify any insurance policy terms in any way. Whether a driver or passenger, chances are you will witness road rage or be involved in an aggressive driving event yourself at some point. Unfortunately, road rage continues to impact America’s roadways. AAA estimates nearly demonstrate aggressive driving behaviors when driving. Road rage is a broad term, but the act can put both drivers and passengers at extreme risk. The latest road rage statistics highlight alarming trends, such as drivers suffering higher incidents of road rage and fatal consequences.

What is road rage

Road rage occurs when a driver experiences extreme aggression or anger, intending to create or cause verbal or physical harm. The term road rage dates back to the 1990s when the media dubbed a new term for the growing trend of extreme aggressive driving cases that seemed to be flooding the country. Many legislators have made it a criminal offense to express the severity of road rage, while aggressive driving remains a traffic violation in most areas.

Road rage behaviors

It is important to note that aggressive driving and road rage are not the same, although aggressive driving contributes to road rage. According to the NHTSA, is when “an individual commits a combination of moving traffic offenses so as to endanger other persons or property.” Road rage takes things one step further into more violent and potentially dangerous territory.

Aggressive Driving vs Road Rage

Aggressive Driving Road Rage Basic definition Deliberate, unsafe driving behavior that poses a risk to property or another Extreme deliberate, unsafe driving that poses an immediate and significant risk to property or another Common behaviors Tailgating
Speeding when in heavy traffic
Cutting off another driver
Running red lights
Weaving in and out traffic
Frequently changing lanes Rude or inflammatory gestures
Profanity
Hitting, bumping, sideswiping or ramming another vehicle
Use of headlights or brakes to intimidate or harass other drivers
Forcing another car off the road

Road rage statistics

Aggressive driving and road rage can be difficult to quantify. While they can be factors in accidents, they may not always be the direct or sole cause of injury or death. The following statistics provide a fuller picture of how road rage impacts drivers and road safety. Info Bankrate insights The most are tailgating, yelling or honking at another vehicle, and are a factor in more than half of all fatal crashes. Road rage incidents caused over a seven-year period. Road rage and aggressive driving are including traffic, running late, disregard for others and the law and as a learned behavior. is one of the leading reasons given for aggressive driving, and the most frequently-cited excuse for following too quickly and passing on the right. The NHTSA lists speeding and alcohol as the leading causes of driving fatalities due to aggressive driving. Other contributing behaviors include following improperly, erratic lane changing, passing where prohibited and several other dangerous behaviors. Speeding — a form of aggressive driving — is responsible for on the roadways in 2020. Over 52% of men and 44% of women surveyed by AAA admitted to driving 15 mph over the freeway speed limit on a regular basis. 2021 was the deadliest year for road rage with an shot and killed or wounded during a road rage shooting. Road rage deaths due to gun violence have doubled compared to pre-pandemic levels. Some leading factors show prevalence in road rage accidents.

Gender

Gender is a major contributing factor in most road rage cases, with males more likely to exhibit road rage than females, according to the latest AAA survey. While around half of males and females were likely to speed, other road rage behaviors, such as following other drivers too closely to prevent merging, skew male at 37.8% male vs. 29.3% female.

Self-reported aggressive driving behaviors weighted % male vs female

Male Female Speeding 52.0% 44.6% Prevent merging 37.8% 29.3% Gesture 35.4% 28% Honking 35.4% 28% Drive through red light 32.2% 30.0% Switch lanes quickly 31.5% 21.4% Source: AAA

Age

Data has shown age to be another contributing factor to road rage. Drivers between the ages of 25 to 39 were the most likely to exhibit road rage behaviors, according to the AAA. People between 19 and 24 were found most likely to prevent another driver from changing lanes or most likely to bump or ram another vehicle.

Self-reported aggressive driving behaviors weighted % by generation

Younger Gen Z (17-18) Older Gen Z (19-24) Millennials (25-39) Gen X (40-59) Baby Boomers (60-74) Post-War
(75+) Tailgate 48.5% 45.5% 66.7% 51.2% 38.9% 35.6% Yell 40.5% 51.8% 51.9% 50.2% 40.1% 24.1% Honk 34.4% 43.5% 53.6% 46.7% 37.4% 26.6% Gesture 26.2% 39.8% 42.8% 33.4% 23.2% 14.6% Block from changing lanes 12% 28% 27.5% 26.3% 19.3% 17.9% Cut off 9.2% 14.8% 16.8% 12.2% 7.3% 5% Confront 2.1% 4.4% 6.2% 3.4% 2% 2.4% Bump/ram 3.4% 4.4% 4.3% 2.5% 1% 2.8% Source: AAA What makes road rage so dangerous is that about half of all road rage victims feel enraged by their experience. Worse, being a victim of road rage can lead to wanting revenge, amplifying the issue.

How common is road rage

In its , the NHTSA asks motorists about feelings of safety on U.S. roads. About 60% said their family feels threatened by unsafe driving, while three-quarters of respondents urged for something to be done. The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety did a deep dive into the behaviors seen on American roads. The results are staggering. Almost 80% of all drivers affirmed that they had experienced extreme anger, aggression, or road rage while driving. About to engaging in aggressive behavior themselves. About half of drivers admit honking, yelling or purposely tailgating another vehicle as the most common expressions of annoyance and anger.

Likelihood of Aggressive Driving Among U S Drivers AAA 2019

Behavior Percentage of drivers Total number of drivers Aggressively switching lanes while close to another vehicle 26% 57 million Honking or making rude gestures 32% 71 million Driving 15 mph or more over the highway speed limit 48% 106 million Running a red light 31% 68 million Cutting in front of another vehicle 22% 49 million Speeding to prevent another vehicle from passing you 25% 55 million Tailgating to prevent another vehicle from merging in front of you 34% 75 million Rushing to merge into traffic in front of another vehicle 28% 62 million

Gun violence on roads

While complete data for the number of road rage cases per state is not available, we looked at . Statistics show that Texas, Florida, and California lead the states in the number of road rage incidents involving guns. Texas alone had 467 cases with guns, where 358 people were shot and led to 87 fatalities. Gun deaths and injuries in road rage incidents increased 98% between 2017 to 2021. 522 people were shot in 2021 due to road rage compared to 263 people in 2017. A total of 1,732 people were shot in road rage incidents in the U.S. from 2017 to 2021. From 2017 to 2021, there were 439 fatal gun shootings due to road rage.

Road rage cases by state 2017-2021

Rank State Number of road rage cases involving a firearm 1. Texas 467 2. Florida 304 3. California 179 4. Tennessee 166 5. Wisconsin 129

Road rage risk factors

What circumstances make road rage more likely? While incidents can happen anywhere at any time, there are certain factors that increase risk: Age: Studies show that younger drivers aged 19 and below are more than four times more likely to be involved in an aggressive driving crash than their older counterparts. Month and day: Road rage incidents tend to be of July, August, September and even into October. They are also more likely towards the end of the week, based on the using the #roadrage hashtag. Time of day: The same social media study found that the use of the hashtag #roadrage was much higher between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m., coinciding with peak commute hours. Type of car: Drivers with convertible tops up honked longer, sooner, and more often than those with their convertible tops down, according to the NHTSA. Certain behaviors surface again and again in fatal accidents. Not so coincidentally, many of these behaviors also coincide with road rage. The NHTSA reports that many of the major contributing factors to all motor vehicle crashes include aggressive behaviors: Speeding Driving under the influence (DUI) Following improperly Improper or erratic lane changing Illegal driving on the road shoulder, in a ditch, or on sidewalk or median Passing where prohibited Operating the vehicle in an erratic, reckless, careless, or negligent manner or suddenly changing speeds Failure to yield right of way Failure to obey traffic signs, traffic control devices, or traffic officers, failure to observe safety zone traffic laws Failure to observe warnings or instructions on a vehicle displaying them Failure to signal Driving too fast for conditions or in excess of the posted speed limit Racing

Is your commute contributing to road rage

Road rage tends to affect those who spend a lot of time on the road, which are often commuters. Traffic congestion is consistently cited as a leading factor in aggressive driving incidents.

Commuter-reported factors in road rage and aggressive driving

Trigger factors Percentage of drivers Impatience while waiting at traffic lights or for parking 33% Impatience waiting for passengers to enter their vehicle 25% Anger when a multi-lane highway narrows 22% Source: NHTSA The NHTSA notes in its study that the rise in aggression and rage could be directly attributed to more drivers driving more miles with each passing year. There simply is not enough space to accommodate all of the drivers jamming America’s roads and highways. Traffic and congestion continue to clog the roadways in the U.S., which is leading to hours spent in our vehicles for commuting. The ranks the cities where commuters spend the most amount of hours in their car and found the following U.S. cities are the worst: U.S. City Number of hours spent in traffic per year New York City 102 Chicago, IL 104 Philadelphia, PA 90 Boston, MA 78 Miami, FL 66

The psychology behind road rage

As it turns out, there may be a psychological reason why road rage is on the rise. According to , road rage involves both the emotions of the drivers involved and the ability to regulate those emotions. While some people can deal with anger on the road more constructively, for others it leads to aggression or aggressive driving. Other observations include: Road rage occurs due to multiple factors, including the environment (crowded highways), psychological factors (stress and displaced anger) as well as factors such as youth. Road rage is found to continue throughout the day, not simply during driving. For example, drivers with shorter fuses tend to be more impulsive and anxious in general. Angry drivers take more risks on the road, including speeding 10-20 miles per hour over the speed limit, rapidly switching lanes, tailgating and running red lights.

How road rage impacts car insurance rates

Car insurance is designed to help provide financial protection for several incidents related to your car, but road rage is not one of them. Nearly every will exclude intentional acts. is one example, writing into its policies that it will not cover “loss caused intentionally by or at the direction of an insured person.” That means if you are found guilty of road rage, your car insurance policy may not cover you. You would then be responsible for paying for any losses out-of-pocket. The other driver could also sue for extra damages. If you are found guilty of road rage or aggressive driving, your could drop your coverage if you are found negligent. With car insurance required in most states, you may have to file for as a . An SR-22 form serves as proof that you have the minimum amount of coverage legally required. Not all insurance providers offer filing for this form and if they do, it usually costs a monthly fee. While the SR-22 form itself does not result in higher insurance rates, the incident causing the need for the SR-22 could lead to higher premiums. At the very least, road rage behaviors are likely to increase due to increased insurable risk. However, the amount of the increase will depend on where you live.

How to prevent road rage

Road rage exists everywhere, but there are some things you can do when driving to help ensure that you are not its next victim. When driving, be sure to abide by the rules of the road at all times and be courteous to your fellow drivers, including the following: Keep a safe distance between you and the other vehicles on the road. Always use your turn signals to communicate your intentions. Give room for other drivers to merge. Refrain from hand gestures and offensive or inflammatory language. Practice patience, regardless of whether you are at an intersection, in traffic or waiting for a parking spot. Refrain from using your high beams unless necessary to see. As frustrating as U.S. roads can be, road rage isn’t worth the risks and dangers that it brings. The most important thing is to arrive at your destination safely, which patient driving can help achieve.

What to do in a road rage situation

If you are in a road rage situation, the best course of action is to remain calm and focus on getting to your destination safely. Do not engage with the other driver, do not return gestures or remarks made at you. Avoid eye contact, and be sure to keep seat belts buckled in case of unexpected braking. If someone is following you as the result of a road rage situation, avoid going to your home and try to pull into a police station, fire station or another heavily populated area. When you safely reach your destination, call 911. If possible, provide a time, date, location, license plate, vehicle description and driver description. Write down or provide a fully detailed report of the incident, and prepare to appear in court if necessary. SHARE: Sara Coleman is an insurance contributor at Bankrate. She has a couple of years of experience in writing for insurance domains such as The Simple Dollar, Reviews.com, Coverage.com and numerous other personal finance sites. She writes about insurance products such as auto, homeowners, renters and disability. Mariah Posey is an auto and homeowners insurance writer and editor for Bankrate.com. She aims to make the insurance journey as convenient as possible by keeping the reader at the forefront of her mind in her work.

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