What is it that’s driving people crazy on Tennessee roads?
According to a new study from non-profit The Trace, which studies gun issues, the number of gun-related road rage incidents in the last two years has more than doubled. The study looked at 620 gun-involved road rage incidents, eight of which took place in Middle Tennessee.
And it’s not just those collecting data who have noticed the trend. Interviews with drivers found that nearly two in three people have seen a noticeable increase in aggressive driving and road rage behaviors in the last three years.
According to the Safety Culture Index compiled by AAA every year, 80 percent of drivers surveyed admitted to some sort of road rage in the last year. Perhaps more alarmingly, around eight million drivers admitted to “extreme road rage,” or acts of intentionally hitting someone else’s vehicle or getting out of their vehicle to confront another driver.
WHAT IS AAA’S ADVICE FOR AVOIDING ROAD RAGE?
The organization recommends that, for your own safety, you avoid aggressive drivers as much as possible. Allow them to pass and keep your distance.
Never exit your vehicle in a road rage incident. You never know how the other driver is going to react, and you are much safer inside your car than you would be if you got out.
If you want to share your own experiences with road rage in Tennessee, NewsChannel5 has created a new program called Road Rants that allows drivers to voice their pet peeves about aggressive drivers. Send in your own video and you might be featured on TV!