Abby's Inklings: Road rage can be fatal

By Abby Cowels
Staff Writer

Americans on the road should think before letting road rage get the best of them, because it could be fatal.

Seemingly, we all know someone who claims the worst drivers are in their hometown, but the facts show a more brutal truth. Aggressive drivers are everywhere and, with a rise in gun violence, road rage can end with more than someone flipping the bird.

According to supremecourt.gov, “Everytown Research & Policy determined the number of road rage injuries and deaths have increased yearly since 2018.”

Rising to more than 500 people shot and wounded or killed in over 700 incidents, 2021 was tragically the worst year on record for road rage shootings. In other words, a person was shot and either injured or killed in a road rage incident every 17 hours, on average, during 2021.”

Every day someone is fatally injured due to an escalated situation of road rage. A study conducted for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) showed a closer look into the minds of those violent individuals.

“Why sociologists point to the fragmentation of society and the disintegration of shared values and sense of community as the cause of these and other acts of incivility,” the study stated. “Many psychologists blame the intoxicating combination of power and anonymity provided by motor vehicles.”

In an illusion of a lack of accountability and repercussions, violent drivers find comfort behind tinted windows, or in the fleeting moments of those interactions with an individual they could possibly never see again.

According to the NHTSA, “When emboldened by the seemingly invincible power of a motor vehicle, a driver’s feeling of anonymity can result in extreme rudeness, and even transform an otherwise nice person into a dangerous, raging individual.”

We are all guilty of frustration and anger behind the wheel, but with rising numbers of gun violence, we should keep in mind that instigating violent drivers can end in injury or death.

CBS news covered a situation that was escalated when a man named Zane Jones flipped off an aggressive driver on a highway in Texas. His wife, Paola Nunez Linares, was subsequently shot in the head and died on the way to the hospital.

Driving is a stressful and an everyday task for most Americans. Make your commute as relaxing and enjoyable as you can. Remember that aggressive driving does not get you there faster.

Cars are dangerous and so are people. Protect yourself and stay cool on the road.