Is road rage more prevalent in Texas than it used to be?
Suspect Crashes at South Side Intersection after Fleeing Police
According to a KSAT News report, a man was arrested following a road rage incident where he allegedly pulled a gun on another driver.
Police reported the incident occurred at around 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 2nd, at the intersection of Pleasanton Road and W. Hutchins Place. A woman called the police after a road rage incident where a young man allegedly pulled a gun. The young man fled police and crashed into multiple vehicles on the South Side. He was transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, and occupants of the other vehicles suffered minor injuries. The name of the young man was not released.
Did You Know?
37% of aggressive driving accidents in the United States involve a firearm.
Road Rage Accidents in Texas Increasing
Have you noticed an increase in aggressive drivers on the roads lately? You’re not imagining it — road rage is increasing in Texas.
Compared to the other States, Texas ranks 9th for the most road rage instances, but that may soon change. The AAA reported that as the population in Texas expands, so do road rage incidents — Statewide, there were 1,600 crashes caused by road rage in 2022 alone.
Let’s take a look at what’s causing this increase in road rage and what you can do to avoid a road rage accident in 2024.
Why Are Road Rage Accidents Increasing?
Population in Texas experienced a dramatic shift post-pandemic as people from all across the country flooded into the state. But it takes more than just adding more drivers to increase road rage incidents.
The top reported reasons why people experience road rage are:
- Heavy traffic (39.35%)
- Already feeling stressed (38.06%)
- Running late (33.89%)
- Already feeling angry (32.49%)
- Feeling tired (26.86%)
Additionally, people were more likely to experience road rage on highways, city streets, and parking lots than on rural roads.
Analyzing the data, it’s easy to see why road rage may be increasing. Construction projects in major cities such as San Antonio, Austin, Houston, Dallas, and Fort Worth are causing major traffic slowdowns across the State. More drivers mean more accidents, which cause further delays. Also, the APA has reported increasing stress levels among adults across the country.
People are more stressed, traffic is heavy, and major delays are increasing commute times. It’s not surprising that road rage incidents are on the rise in Texas.
Avoiding Road Rage
Feeling stressed and angry is understandable, but not an excuse to endanger the lives of others. To avoid road rage when driving:
- Plan for Delays — It’s going to take you longer than it used to take to get where you’re going. Plan ahead and give yourself extra time so you don’t feel the stress of running late.
- Listen to Music/Podcast — If you can listen without distracting yourself from driving, it can be a good deterrent for road rage.
- Avoid Eye Contact — Eye contact can escalate your aggressive feelings. Focus on your own driving and be considerate when someone makes a mistake.
Injured in a Road Rage Accident? Call Carabin Shaw.
Having an attorney represent your injury claim after a road rage accident is critical to ensure you’re fairly compensated.
Carabin Shaw has been serving those injured in Road Rage accidents in Texas for over 30 years. We’re a trusted name because we put our clients first. Call us to get your case evaluated by an attorney for free at 800-862-1260, or use the live chat to get started. We look forward to serving you.
Contacting a Carabin Shaw attorney is free and does not obligate you to work with the firm.