According to Lt. Jason Reyes of the Texas Department of Public Safety, road rage incidents are becoming increasingly violent. He stated, “They’ve only become more and more, how can I say? They’re taking it to another level, and they’re using obviously guns now, and they’ve become more and more violent. I think one of the main triggers that we’re seeing is an individual honking horns. So use that sparingly.”
Reyes believes that being courteous on the road can go a long way toward preventing problems. He suggests allowing other drivers to pass or enter, even if it means delaying your own trip by a few seconds. “That three or four seconds, it’s nothing. But again, it can avoid conflict,” he said.
If a road rage incident does occur, Reyes advises against making eye contact or obscene gestures that could make the situation worse. Instead, try to get the vehicle’s license plate number and head towards a populated area where you can call 911.
According to the Gun Violence Archive, the number of reported road rage shooting deaths in the US has doubled in the last four years. Everytown, an organization working to end gun violence, analyzed the database and found that at least 70 road rage shooting deaths occurred in the United States in 2018. That number doubled to 141 in 2022.
Reyes warns that road rage affects all demographic areas and encourages drivers to be mindful of their behavior on the road.