100+ Road Rage Statistics And Facts

Nearly everyone has witnessed road rage in another driver or themselves, but how is it different from aggressive driving? Research indicates that males are more likely than females to exhibit road rage behaviors, and those between the ages of 19 and 24 have higher rates of aggressive driving behaviors by generation.

Many people are surprised to learn that road rage shares many of the same behaviors as aggressive driving, and involvement in any accident where you are at fault for road rage exempts you from insurance claims. More than that, it increases the cost of insurance overall.

Aggressive Driving vs Road Rage

Aggressive driving is any type of deliberate behavior that is done with complete disregard for the safety of other drivers. Some examples of aggressive driving include the following:

1. Speeding when there is heavy traffic
2. Running red lights
3. Blocking other cars from changing lanes or passing
4. Changing lanes without signaling
5. Weaving in and out of traffic
6. Cutting in front of other drivers, and slowing down immediately
7. Tailgating
8. Using headlights to flash other drivers for going too slowly

Road rage by comparison involves aggressive driving in a deliberate way with the same disregard or intention of causing unsafe conditions for other drivers but road rage is defined as extreme cases of aggressive driving.

Some examples of road rage include the following:

1. Speeding when there is heavy traffic
2. Running red lights
3. Blocking other cars from changing lanes or passing
4. Changing lanes without signaling
5. Weaving in and out of traffic
6. Cutting in front of other drivers, and slowing down immediately
7. Tailgating
8. Using headlights to flash other drivers for going too slowly
9. Throwing objects at other drivers
10. Cursing at other drivers
11. Using obscene or rude gestures toward other driving
12. Sideswiping
13. Ramming
14. Forcing another driver off the road

Road Rage Overview

• 30: 30 murders across the United States were initiated because of road rage.
• 200: Over a 7-year time frame, 200 murders were attributed to road rage.
• 12,000: Over a 7-year time frame, 12,000 injuries were the result of road rage.
• 10,000: Over 10,000 car accidents since 2010 have been the result of road rage.
• 500%: In 2015, the rates of fatal car accidents related to road rage increased 500% compared to nine years prior.
• 90%: 90% of people witnessed aggressive driving or road rage within the last thirty days.
• 70%: Car insurance costs increased by up to 70% across the United States after reckless driving charges.

Source: NHTSA, AAA, Zebra

What Does Road Rage Look Like in the US?

Millions of drivers demonstrate aggressive driving and road rage at any given time.

• 80%: 80% of all drivers expressed significant road rage at least once in the last thirty days.
• 26%: 26% of aggressive behavior involves following behind another car too closely or switching lanes quickly.
• 32%: 32% of road rage exhibited by other drivers involves honking or making rude gestures.
• 48%: 48% of aggressive behavior involves speeding at least 15 miles over the speed limit on a freeway.
• 31%: 31% of aggressive driving involves going through a red light.
• 22%: 22% of aggressive driving and road rage is when drivers cut other cars off far too closely.
• 34%: 34% of aggressive driving and road rage consists of following vehicles too closely in order to prevent someone else from being able to merge in front.
• 28%: 28% of aggressive driving is made up of forcefully merging even when there isn’t a sufficient gap.
• 57 million: 57 million drivers admitted to switching lanes quickly or tailgating other cars as a form of angry and aggressive road rage in the last 30 days.
• 71 million: 71 million drivers admitted that within the last 30 days they honked at other drivers or made rude gestures.
• 106 million: 106 million drivers admitted that within the last 30 days they aggressively sped on a freeway, at least 15 miles over the speed limit, and exhibited other aggressive behaviors toward drivers in front of them who were driving slower.
• 68 million: 68 million drivers admitted to intentionally cutting through a red light within the last 30 days.
• 49 million: 49 million drivers admitted that within the last 30 days they passed in front of another vehicle without a safe passing distance between the two cars.
• 55 million: 55 million drivers admitted that within the last 30 days they sped up when another vehicle tried to pass them on the road.
• 75 million: 75 million admitted that within the last 30 days they sped up far too closely to the car in front of them in order to stop someone else from being able to merge in front.
• 62 million: 62 million drivers admitted that they forcefully merged even into spaces where there was no room to do so.

Source: AAA

Road Rage Speeding

Speeding is categorized as one of the most dangerous behaviors related to road rage. In fact, it accounts for 18.5% of fatal car accidents.

• 18.5%: 18.5% of all fatal car accidents in 2021 were because a driver was driving too fast, far in excess of the speed limit, or racing another car.
• 7.6%: 7.6% of drivers in fatal accidents in 2021 were operating their vehicle carelessly because of road rage.
• 4%: 4% of drivers in 2021 were in fatal accidents because they were operating their vehicle in a reckless or negligent way.
• 4,601: 4,601 people in 2021 were involved in fatal accidents because of careless driving behavior
• 2,615: 2,615 drivers in 2021 were in fatal accidents because they were driving recklessly.
• 11,254: 11,254 people were involved in fatal crashes because of speeding in 2021.

Source: III

Road Rage Causes

In nearly all cases, road rage is caused by the behaviors of other drivers. Drivers are more likely to become angry and lash out with aggressive behaviors when other drivers tailgate them or are driving while distracted, particularly driving while using a phone.

When asked, nearly 50% of drivers admit that they see people driving while distracted, using a phone, on a daily basis.

The table below shows driver responses listing which behavior made them the angriest by percentage of respondents:

Source: NHTSA, AAA, Zebra

Road Rage Escalation

Any case of road rage and demonstration of aggressive behaviors or road rage related behaviors comes at a serious risk of escalation, physical confrontation, and the use of a weapon. 6% of drivers confirm that road rage escalated into a physical fight.

• 7%: 7% of drivers who demonstrated road rage that became a confrontation got out of their car to confront another driver verbally.
• 6%: 6% of drivers whose road rage led to a physical confrontation threw objects at the other driver.
• 6%: 6% of drivers whose road rage escalated into a confrontation got into a physical fight with another driver.
• 5%: 5% of drivers involved in road rage sideswiped another vehicle at the culmination of their road rage.
• 5%: 5% of drivers let their road rage escalate until they rammed into another vehicle intentionally.
• 5%: 5% of drivers allowed road rage to escalate to the point where they forced another driver off the road.

Weapons

46% of drivers admit that they carry a weapon in their car to use for personal protection, including in cases of physical confrontation resulting from road rage.

The table below shows driver responses listing which weapons they keep by percentage of respondents:

Source: NHTSA, AAA, Zebra

Road Rage by Gender

Gender contributes heavily to road rage with males more likely to exhibit road rage behaviors and aggressive behaviors compared to females, according to AAA surveys.

Nearly 50% of males and females were equally likely to speed but gender deviations manifest where other road rage behaviors take place.

• 52%: 52% of males self-report speeding when engaged in aggressive behaviors.
• 44.6%: 44.6% of females self-report speeding when engaged in aggressive behaviors.
• 37.8%: 37.8% of males self-report that they prevent other cars from being able to merge when they are angry and driving.
• 29.3%: 29.3% of females self-report that they prevent other cars from being able to merge when they are angry on the road.
• 35.4%: 35.4% of male self-report using rude gestures or obscene gestures toward other drivers.
• 28%: 28% of women self-report using rude gestures or obscene gestures toward other drivers when they are using aggressive driving behaviors.
• 35.4%:  35.4% of men admit to honking when using aggressive behaviors.
• 28%:  28% of women admit to honking when they experience road rage.
• 32.2%: 32.2% of men will go through red lights when they are experiencing road rage.
• 30%: 30% of women will go through red lights if they are experiencing road rage.
• 31.5%: 31.5% of males self-report that they switch lanes too quickly if they are experiencing road rage.
• 21.4%. 21.4% of females self-report that they switch lanes too quickly when they experience road rage.

Source: AAA

Road Rage by Age

Age contributes to aggressive behaviors and road rage. Across all ages the most commonly self-reported aggressive driving behaviors include tailgating, yelling, and honking at other drivers. Slightly less common is gesturing.

Younger drivers are more likely to exhibit road rage behaviors of all kinds, with aggressive driving behaviors dropping as you move through different generations.

Passive aggressive behaviors like honking, yelling, or gesturing are more likely in Millennials whereas physically dangerous behaviors like cutting other drivers off, ramming into them, or confronting them are more likely in the Older Gen Z drivers.

• 48.5%: 48.5% of drivers between 17 and 18 admit to tailgating when they exhibit road rage.
• 45.5%: 45.5% of individuals between the ages of 19 and 24 admit to tailgating when they exhibit road rage.
• 66.7%: 66.7% of millennials admit to tailgating when they exhibit road rage.
• 51.2%: 51.2% of people between the ages of 40 and 59 will tailgate another driver when they experience road rage.
• 38.9%: 38.9% of those between the ages of 60 and 74 will tailgate another driver when they experience road rage.
• 35.6%: 35.6% of people who are older than 75 will tailgate another driver when they experience road rage.
• 40.5%: 40.5% of drivers between the ages of 17 and 18 will yell at another driver when they experience road rage.
• 51.8%: 51.8% of drivers between the ages of 19 and 24 will yell at another driver when they are exhibiting aggressive behaviors.
• 51.9%: 51.9% of Millennials will yell at other drivers when they are angry.
• 50.2%: 50.2% of Gen X drivers will yell at another driver when they experience road rage.
• 40.1%: 40.1% of baby boomers will yell at another driver when they are exhibiting aggressive behaviors.
• 21.4%: 21.4% of those of the post-war generation will yell at another driver when angry.
• 34.4%: 34.4% of younger Gen Z drivers will honk at another when they experience road rage.
• 43.5%: 43.5% of drivers between 19 and 24 will honk at another when they experience road rage.
• 53.6%: 53.6% of millennials will honk at another when they experience road rage.
• 46.7%: 46.7% of those between 40 and 59 will honk at another when they experience road rage.
• 37.4%: 37.4% of those between 60 and 74 will honk at another when they experience road rage.
• 26.6%: 37.4% of drivers over the age of 75 will honk at another when they experience road rage.
• 26.2%: 26.2% of drivers between the ages of 17 and 18 will gesture at another driver.
• 39.8%: 39.8% of drivers between 19 and 24 will gesture at another driver.
• 42.8%: 42.8% of Millennials between the ages of 25 and 39 will gesture at another driver.
• 33.4%: 33.4% of drivers between the ages of 40 and 59 will gesture at another driver.
• 23.2%: 23.2% of baby boomers will gesture at another driver.
• 14.6%: 14.6% of adults over the age of 75 will gesture at another driver when angry.
• 12%: 12% of young drivers under the age of 18 will prevent another driver from changing lanes when they use aggressive driving behaviors.
• 28%: 28% of drivers between 19 and 24 will prevent another driver from changing lanes when they use aggressive driving behaviors.
• 27.5%: 27.5% of millennials will prevent another driver from changing lanes when they use aggressive driving behaviors.
• 26.3%: 26.3% of drivers between 40 and 59 will prevent another driver from changing lanes when they use aggressive driving behaviors.
• 19.3%: 19.3% of drivers between 60 and 74 will prevent another driver from changing lanes when they use aggressive driving behaviors.
• 17.9%: 17.9% of drivers over the age of 75 will prevent another driver from changing lanes when they use aggressive driving behaviors.
• 9.2%: 9.2% of drivers under 18 will cut off another driver when they demonstrate aggressive driving behaviors.
• 14.8%: 14 between 19 and will cut off another driver when they demonstrate aggressive driving behaviors.
• 16.8%: 16.8% of drivers between 25 and 39 will cut off another driver when they demonstrate aggressive driving behaviors.
• 12.2%: 12.2% of drivers between 40 and 59 report that they will cut off another driver when they demonstrate aggressive driving behaviors.
• 7.3%: 7.3% of drivers between the ages of 60 and 74 report that they will cut off another driver when they demonstrate aggressive driving behaviors.
• 5%: 5% of drivers over the age of 75 report that they will cut off another driver when they demonstrate aggressive driving behaviors.
• 2.1%: 2.1% of drivers between 17 and 18 report that they confront other drivers if they experience road rage.
• 4.4%: 4.4% of drivers between 19 and 24 report that they confront other drivers.
• 6.2%: 6.2% of drivers between 25 and 39 report that they confront other drivers when upset.
• 3.4%: 3.4% of drivers between 40 and 59 report that they confront other drivers.
• 2%: Only 2% of drivers between 60 and 74 state that they confront other drivers when they are angry.
• 2.4%: only 2.4% of drivers over the age of 75 will confront another driver if they are experiencing road rage.
• 3.4%: 3.4% of drivers between 17 and 18 report that they will bump into or ram another vehicle.
• 4.4%: 4.4% of drivers between 19 and 24 state that they will ram or bump into another vehicle if upset.
• 4.3%: 4.3% of drivers between 25 and 39 indicate that they will ram into another vehicle or bump into a car on the road.
• 2.5%: 2.5% of drivers between 40 and 59  state that they will ram or bump into another vehicle if upset.
• 1%: only 1% of drivers between 60 and 74 report that they will bump into or ram another vehicle.
• 2.8%: 2.8% of drivers over the age of 75 indicate that they will ram into another vehicle or bump into a car on the road.

Source: AAA

The table below indicates which generation self-reports the most common aggressive driving behaviors:

Costs of Road Rage

Road rage is expensive too.

If charged with road rage, the cost of car insurance goes up. Each state has individual rules but the average increase for insurance bills goes up by $1,034 with a maximum of $4,220 in some states. This does not include any court costs or fines related to court cases for road rage related accidents.

According to the III, car insurance companies do not cover accidents related to road rage. If you are charged with any type of car accident where you are at fault for aggressive driving or road rage, no coverage will be applied to any insurance claims.

Road Rage vs Drunk Driving vs Distracted Driving

Distracted driving can manifest in some of the same behaviors but a key difference between distracted driving and road rage is that those who are guilty of distracted driving don’t exhibit specific behaviors intentionally but rather, are doing something like eating, talking, using their phone, or fiddling with buttons in the car rather than looking at the road.

Similarly, drunk driving can manifest in many of the same behaviors as road rage like cutting people off, pushing them out of their lane, running them off the road, being careless or ignoring traffic signals, even speeding. However, under the case of drunk driving these behaviors are the result of intoxication and not necessarily intentionally disregarding the safety of other drivers.

• 11.2%: 11.2% of people in 2021 in fatal car accidents were under the influence of drugs, alcohol, or medication.
• 5.5%: 5.5% of people were involved in car accidents that resulted in a fatality because of distracted driving.
• 7%: 7% of people got into a fatal accident in 2021 because of a failure to yield to the right of way, a common accident caused by distracted or drunk driving.
• 6.6%: 6.6% of people in 2021 were involved in fatal car crashes because they failed to stay in their lane, a common issue associated with drunk or distracted driving.
• 4,239: 4,239 people in 2021 reported a failure to yield the right of way because of distracted or drunk driving.
• 4,042: 4,042 people in 2021 were in a fatal car accident because they didn’t stay in their lane, something often associated with swerving drunk drivers or distracted drivers.
• 6,835: 6,835 people in 2021 were involved in fatal accidents because of drunk driving
• 445: 445 people were involved in fatal car accidents in 2021 because they made an improper turn.
• 1,179: 1,179 people in 2021 were driving the wrong way on a one-way road or driving on the wrong side of the road, something that is attributed to both drunk and distracted driving.
• 1,310: 1,310 people in 2021 were involved in a fatal car crash because they were asleep or drowsy at the road which is a subset of distracted driving, one that has the same harmful impact on driving as being intoxicated.

Source: III