Annual Probability of Being Involved in a Road Rage Incident

AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety research indicates that approximately 80% of US drivers report experiencing significant anger, aggression, or road rage at least once in the past year. About 8% of drivers admit to engaging in aggressive behaviors that could be classified as road rage, including purposely tailgating (51%), yelling at another driver (47%), honking to show annoyance (45%), making angry gestures (33%), trying to block another vehicle (24%), and getting out of the car to confront another driver (4%).

Road rage and aggressive driving contribute to an estimated 30% of traffic crashes, resulting in about 12,000 injuries and 200 deaths per year. The number of fatal road rage shootings has increased dramatically, from about 250 per year before 2020 to over 500 per year in 2021-2023.

Risk factors for road rage perpetration include younger age (males 19-39 are the highest-risk group), stress, running late, traffic congestion, and personality traits including narcissism and impulsivity. De-escalation strategies include avoiding eye contact with aggressive drivers, not retaliating, giving aggressive drivers plenty of space, and calling 911 if threatened. If confronted, experts recommend staying in your vehicle with doors locked and windows up, and driving to a police station or public area if followed.