NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Shawn Steward with AAA Kansas is concerned about the uptick in road rage incidents in recent years.
"We just see a lot more aggressive behavior on the roads these days," Steward said. "Whether that is speeding, tailgating, weaving in and out of traffic. A lot of these things have turned into violent situations, where road rage turns into flashing a weapon or actually shooting people."
Data from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety shows that nearly 80 percent of drivers expressed significant anger, aggression or road rage behind the wheel at least once within the previous 30 days.
"Road rage is a problem," Steward said. "Especially the violent situations. In 2022, 554 people were shot during road rage incidents nationwide, resulting in 413 injuries and 141 deaths. That's twice the number from what we saw in 2018."
The Foundation also found that potentially aggressive actions―such as tailgating, erratic lane changing or illegal passing―are a factor in up to 56% of fatal crashes.
"We're just reminding people to keep your cool," Steward said. "It's hard to do sometimes when it's hot, when you're stuck in traffic, you're running late. It's important to really be aware of these situations and what may trigger you or other drivers."
When you pull to the side or change lanes and let an aggressive driver pass, they will typically be glad they’re on their way and not try to engage further.
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