Road rage on its own is bad enough, but things move to a whole new level of stress and danger when firearms are involved. While drivers in some states see very little traffic-related gun violence, a handful show alarming numbers of incidents that could make driving an actual life-or-death situation for some.
ConsumerAffairs dove into the data, finding the states with the most and least road rage, but the most interesting data points in the study come from its look at gun violence. There have been 2.08 incidents of gun-related violence per 100,000 residents in New Mexico, making it the worst state on the list. The “top ten” states with the most gun violence per 100,000 residents include:
- New Mexico: 2.08/100k residents
- District of Columbia: 1.64
- Tennessee: 1.19
- Wisconsin: 1.10
- Arizona: 1.02
- Texas: 0.98
- Colorado: 0.81
- Kansas: 0.68
- Missouri: 0.66
- Georgia: 0.61
It’s important to take these numbers in context, as the population varies wildly between some of the states on the list. New Mexico had just over two million residents in 2022, while Texas had a shade over 30 million. That could make New Mexicans look like gun-crazed lunatics due to the sparse population, and Texans look less dangerous, despite the fact that there are 15 times more people living there.
ConsumerAffairs shared some pointers on avoiding road rage, which are especially important in these shockingly violent times. If you’re sharing the road with an aggressive driver, back off and give them as much space as possible. Move over when you see someone tailgating, as it’s best to get out of the way rather than provoke them by brake-checking or slowing down.
Always be aware of your surroundings, and don’t hesitate to call the police if you’re experiencing harassment or if someone is following you. Remember, arriving alive is better than getting a few moments of satisfaction from responding to an aggressive driver or, worse yet, seeing the business end of their firearm.