Some California drivers may have anger management issues, according to a new survey.
When it comes to road rage, Forbes Advisor, which surveyed 10,000 drivers from all 50 states, ranked California as the worst state.
It’s not just being cut off or tailgated on the road. Over one out of 100 drivers had an encounter, during which someone exited his or her car to yell or try to start a fight, the survey revealed.
“Another lady got behind me and was just honking the horn incessantly,” Walker Johnson, a Southern California driver, recalled his experience. “There’s nothing good that can come out of that.”
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The Golden State also has the fifth highest percentage of drivers who say they experience road rage frequently, the survey said.
“We’ve seen across the entire state of California that the number of road rage incidents has increased,” Deputy Miguel Meza of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said. “You don’t know what that other person may have inside that vehicle and the dangers it can pose to you and your loved ones if you were to interact with them or get into an altercation.”
California has seen several high profile road rage cases in recent years. That includes the 2023 incident, in which Nathaniel Walter Radimak, 36, was convicted and sentenced to five years in prison for multiple violent incidents, including attacking a truck with a metal pipe.
A Costa Mesa man was sentenced to 40 years to life in prison in April after he shot and killed 6-year-old Aiden Leos along the 55 Freeway in 2021.
To minimize the chances of becoming a confrontational driver, authorities recommend people to leave enough time to get to their destinations. And if another driver becomes confrontational, it’s best not to engage.
