Aggressive driving is dangerous enough, but when a motorist’s actions cross into “road rage” territory, tragedy is a frequent result. This is unsettling given how common road rage is across Florida. The Sunshine State now holds the top spot in the nation for road rage incidents involving firearms.
According to Bankrate, aggressive driving, which is often a precursor to road rage, is a factor in more than half, or 54%, of all crashes that result in at least one fatality. Research also shows that crashes involving road rage kill about 30 people and cause about 1,800 injuries each year.
Road rage statistics
Between 2014 and 2016, Florida led the nation in terms of the number of road rage cases involving guns. During that span, Florida saw 147 such road rage cases. Miami and Tampa were among the worst cities for this type of driving behavior. Also, 78% of drivers surveyed say that they have committed at least one aggressive driving behavior within the last 30 days.
Road rage behaviors
Many different behind-the-wheel actions may constitute road rage. However, the three most common road rage actions include motorists tailgating, yelling at one another or honking their horns at other drivers. These factors play a role in more than half of all car crashes involving road rage. Other common road rage behaviors include making rude gestures (i.e., “flipping the bird,”), intentionally hitting or sideswiping other vehicles or attempting to run drivers off of the road.
Drivers who exhibit signs of road rage and then cause or contribute to crashes may face sanctions or criminal penalties.
