Today as I was merging onto Interstate 5, a Jeep Cherokee honked while roaring around me into the fast lane. I had been doing the speed limit through an interchange that is regularly tracked by highway patrol.
I would like to think that our Cherokee driver had a genuine emergency, but wouldn’t be surprised if this was just another example of road rage. Research has found that this practice has been increasing. For example, between 2018 and 2022 the number of road rage incidents that involved gun injuries more than doubled from at least 176 people to 413 (Burd-Sharps et al., 2023).
What causes road rage? Psychologist Carla Manly suggested that the reasons can be complex but frequently relate to unresolved personal issues.
Also see ‘Mature reflections about societal collapse on Interstate 5’
“Many acts of road rage occur when upset drivers, even those who are normally self-contained, unconsciously give themselves permission to act out their anger or frustration from behind the ‘protected safety’ of their vehicle-turned-weapon-of-assault,” Manly told Nicole Karlis (2024). “Acts of road rage are generally far out of proportion to the error that provoked the act of aggression.”
In addition, a decline in in-person interactions due to an increasing societal emphasis on virtual communication can lead to dehumanization, according to psychology professor E. Scott Geller. That tendency was accentuated by the pandemic, which increased social isolation — which can morph into feelings of alienation and anger (Karlis (2024).
How drivers with high anger differ
Psychologist Jerry Deffenbacher has found that people who saw themselves as high-anger drivers differed from low-anger drivers in five ways:
- “They engage in hostile, aggressive thinking. They’re more likely to insult other drivers or express disbelief about the way others drive. Their thoughts also turn more often to revenge, which sometimes means physical harm.
- They take more risks on the road. High-anger drivers are more likely to go 10 to 20 mph over the speed limit, rapidly switch lanes, tailgate, and enter an intersection when the light turns red.
- High anger drivers get angry faster and behave more aggressively. They’re more likely to swear or name-call, to yell at other drivers, to honk in anger. And they’re more likely to be angry not just behind the wheel, but throughout the day.
- High-anger drivers had twice as many car accidents in driving simulations. They also report more near-accidents and get more tickets for speeding.
- Short-fused drivers experience more trait anger, anxiety, and impulsiveness. Perhaps from work or home stress, high-anger drivers are more likely to get in the car angry; they also tend to express their anger outward and act impulsively.” (APA, 2014)
This list reminds me of a few former coworkers. I had never seen them drive but saw in their behavior around the office a tendency toward being short fused, impulsive, insulting and vengeful.
Which states have the angriest drivers?
A Forbes magazine survey found that Arizona has the worst road rage — and that five of the top-10 states are in the south. In contrast, four out of 10 of the states with the most polite drivers are in the Pacific and West — including my state of Washington (Valentine, 2024).
What makes Arizona so bad? As a case in point, it “ranked second worst for the percentage of drivers who have been forced off the road (22.5%) and tied with Oklahoma for having the third highest percentage of drivers who have been tailgated (70.5%),” according to reporter Michelle Valentine (2024).
So the good news for me is that today I wasn’t shot at, nor was I forced off the road. That means life is relatively good in the great state of Washington, no?
Share your reactions to this post with a comment below or a note to the editor.
RE:SOURCES
- APA; 2014. “Road rage: What makes some people more prone to anger behind the wheel.” American Psychological Association. Accessed April 22.
- Burd-Sharps Sarah and Paige Tetens and Jay Szkola; 2023. “Road Rage Shootings Are Continuing to Surge.” Everytown For Gun Safety. Posted March 20.
- Karlis, Nicole; 2024. “Here’s why road rage is on the rise.” Salon. Posted Jan. 14.
- Valentine, Michelle; 2024. “States With The Most Confrontational Drivers 2024.” Forbes Advisor. Posted April 17.
Interesting. I moved to Idaho from California last year and my brother moved from California to Iowa, one thing we both talk about is how friendly people are compared to California and how relaxed driving is. I wonder what these statistics would be like if you made the map rural verses cities?
Howard, that’s a good question. You reminded me of how I found drivers in Cleveland, Ohio to be quite rude. So when I moved back to a small western Washington suburb I would be surprised by how polite drivers were. For example, I’d be standing on a sidewalk waiting for a ride and cars in the street would sometimes stop and signal for me to cross.
Yet this is the same community where a family member was driving down I-5 one night and a car pulled up along side them and pointed a gun. Instead of shooting they quickly drove away, but that was unnerving, to say the least.
The amount of “road rage” incidents are on the rise in Indiana, especially around Indianapolis. Although I support the Second Amendment with lawful restrictions such as “Red Flag Laws” and federal A.T.F.-registry / background checks, “road rage” incidents have soared since Indiana dropped state licensing and invoked “constitutional carry”. (Almost) anybody in Indiana can have a firearm, and state and local law enforcement have warned all motorists in Indiana NOT to use their horns or make gestures to offending motorists. It seems that there are several reported incidents every month, and, thanks to cameras, a few firearm “road rage” incidents have resulted in arrests and felony charges. It is the “Wild West” out there !