New Instagram Study Shows America’s Road Rage Habits
Fatal accidents caused by road rage are becoming more common
Bad traffic is enough to make any sane person a bit rage-y. Even the kindest people are known to let out an expletive when their daily commute is plagued by a traffic jam. The feeling of all-consuming rage that occurs when we’re behind the wheel is becoming more and more common—so much so, that there are social media hashtags out there for it.
The number of road rage-caused fatal accidents has increased over the years. In 2004, data compiled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration shows that the number of fatal accidents caused by road rage or driver aggression was 26. In 2013, this number had risen to 247.
Just check out this great graphic from The Washington Post:
Photo: The Washington Post
Now, thanks to the increased popularity of sharing every miniscule detail of one’s life on social media, companies like Auto Insurance Center can see where and when road rage is happening the most—and take steps towards decreasing this dangerous side effect of traffic.
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Auto Insurance Center used a recent study to analyze 65,535 Instagram posts that used the hashtag #RoadRage. Through this study, the insurance company hoped to reveal where, when, and why drivers in the US became so rage-y. Luckily, it managed to do just that.
August was revealed as the worst month when it comes to angry drivers; July came in a close second. With these results, it’s easy to see that summer is likely the worst when it comes to road rage, since more Americans are out on the road as they head to their summer vacation destinations.
For a weekly look at road rage, Friday is the day of the week that drivers get the angriest with over 10,500 Instagram #RoadRage hashtags being in use on that day. Sunday is the friendliest day out on the road. Once again, it’s easy to see the correlation between the number of drivers on the road and the increase in road rage.
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“The low rate of posts on weekends may point to a clear correlation between commuter-filled roads and incidents of anger,” said the insurance company in its report. This correlation can especially be seen from 5 to 7pm every day, which is when the highest amount of road rage occurs daily.
Along with figuring out the specific times of the year/week/day that are particularly inclined to cause road rage, the study also discovered the state that has the worst road rage. Interestingly enough, Hawaii came out on top as the state with the most road rage.
Here’s a look at the American cities with the most road rage:
Photo: Auto Insurance Center
So, make sure you stay away from road rage. The Auto Insurance Center suggests you “allow for extra time in case you run into delays, adjust your schedule to avoid driving through the worst traffic, and listen to music while you drive.” But most of all, just remember to breathe.
News Sources: The Washington Post; Auto Insurance Center
A born-and-raised Jersey girl, Caitlin Moran has somehow found herself settled in Edinburgh, Scotland. When she’s not spending her days trying to remember which side of the road to drive on, Caitlin enjoys getting down and nerdy with English. She continues to combine her love of writing with her love of cars for The News Wheel, while also learning more about the European car market—including the fact that the Seat brand is pronounced “se-at” not “seat” as you might think. See more articles by Caitlin.