Road rage has been a public safety concern for decades. The mainstream media often highlights stories about drivers losing their cool in traffic and becoming aggressive toward one another. Some road rage incidents lead to fights between drivers or one-sided assaults. Other road rage incidents involve aggressive tailgating and erratic behavior in traffic.
Many people across Florida might feel as though road rage has become more of an issue in recent years. They may believe that they have encountered more aggressive drivers in recent years than they have previously. A recent analysis of road rage confrontations indicates that they are on the rise across Florida and the United States. People may have more reason now than ever before to worry about the emotional reactions of others in traffic.
What does research show?
Road rage incidents have been on the rise since 2020. Drivers have been more likely to lose their cool in traffic or to allow issues on the road to lead to interpersonal confrontations. Florida sees somewhat higher-than-average rates of road rage according to self-reported data from drivers.
Florida ranks 17th in the nation for road rage based on how often drivers report facing confrontations or losing their cool in traffic. Roughly 15% of the drivers polled reported having another driver exit their vehicle due to traffic issues. Almost one in five drivers admitted to experiencing road rage frequently.
Road rage incidents sometimes lead to prosecution. The state can bring charges against someone who behaves in a patently unsafe manner in traffic or who attacks other people. Road rage incidents can also lead to collisions when drivers become aggressive in traffic.
Those affected by road rage incidents sometimes have complicated insurance claims ahead of them. The driver who became enraged and did something threatening or inappropriate in traffic may have avoided personal involvement in the wreck their actions caused, which can make seeking compensation more of a challenge. In some cases, a personal injury lawsuit might be appropriate depending on the losses generated by the road rage incident.
People can limit their risk of a road rage incident by avoiding eye contact with others in traffic, allowing people to pass them and recognizing the warning signs of an aggressive driver that they may want to avoid. Tracking trends in road safety can help people reduce their risk of a motor vehicle collision and major financial losses due to changes in traffic behavior.
