Aggressive driving and gun violence on the nation’s roads continue to contribute to crashes, and research shows that drivers in Texas are especially at risk. Texas currently leads the United States in terms of the number of road rage incidents it sees annually that involve firearms, and this means increased dangers for everyone traveling the state’s roadways.
Per Bankrate, Texas saw more road rage incidents involving guns between 2012 and 2017 than any other state in the nation, with 467 such incidents taking place within that timeframe.
Gun violence on Texas roads
Between 2012 and 2017, 358 people in Texas suffered gunshot wounds while traveling on state roadways, and 87 of those shot died from their injuries. The number of road rage incidents involving firearms also increased 98% across Texas and the nation between 2017 and 2021, indicating a growing nationwide problem. On the national level, 263 people suffered gunshot wounds in road rage incidents in 2017. By 2021, the number of people shot in road rage incidents climbed to 522.
Other forms of road rage on Texas roads
There are also many car wrecks that occur across Texas and the rest of the United States that do not involve firearms. Other common road rage behaviors involve tailgating, refusing to let someone merge, cutting off another vehicle, honking the car horn or running red lights. Making obscene gestures or threats may also constitute road rage and contribute to accidents.
Drivers who exhibit road rage or drive aggressively and injure or kill others as a result of their actions may face serious legal sanctions.
