The 10 states with the worst road rage in America

America has a traffic death problem. More than 40,000 people die each year in the U.S. in car accidents. And while multiple factors contribute to that shocking statistic, road rage is a big part of the equation.

It's also something Americans are increasingly concerned about. In fact, a recent study by Pew found that 63% of Americans report that aggressive driving, like tailgating, weaving through traffic, and running red lights, is a major issue in their local community.

But which states have the worst road rage issues?

To answer that question, researchers at Consumer Affairs evaluated all 50 states and Washington, D.C., using six key measures. These included the rate of traffic incidents involving gun violence, the number of fatal crashes and deaths tied to aggressive or careless driving, and the share of total crashes and fatalities linked to such behavior. The study also factored in how often drivers were cited for reckless driving or speeding. 

Continue reading to see which states made the list and why.

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In Florida, nearly a quarter of fatal crashes and traffic deaths are tied to aggressive or careless driving. The state also recorded 0.41 road-rage-related gun incidents per 100,000 residents, slightly above the national average. While violations for reckless driving and speeding were relatively low, fatalities from aggressive driving reached 3.75 per 100,000 people.

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About 27% of fatal crashes in Nevada involved aggressive driving, and almost one-third of all traffic deaths were linked to it. The state logged 0.51 road-rage-related gun incidents per 100,000 people — higher than the national average — and 3.79 fatalities per 100,000 tied to reckless behavior.

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Half of Hawaii’s fatal crashes and just over half of its traffic deaths involved aggressive or careless driving, among the highest percentages in the country. Although the state reported virtually no violations for reckless driving or speeding, it still had 3.25 fatalities per 100,000 people linked to aggressive driving.

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Aggressive or careless driving contributed to nearly a third of fatal crashes and traffic deaths in North Carolina. The state also reported 0.48 gun-related road incidents per 100,000 people, above the national rate. Fatalities tied to reckless behavior reached 4.78 per 100,000 residents.

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New Jersey had one of the highest percentages of fatal crashes involving reckless driving, at 46%. Nearly 45% of all traffic deaths were also tied to this behavior. The state issued 0.85 violations per 100,000 people for aggressive driving or speeding, and saw 2.94 fatalities per 100,000 from such crashes.

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More than a third of fatal crashes and traffic deaths in Montana stemmed from reckless driving. The state recorded 6.61 fatalities per 100,000 people linked to aggressive behavior, far higher than the national rate. Gun-related road incidents were rare, at 0.18 per 100,000.

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Arkansas had some of the highest fatality rates linked to reckless driving, with just over half of all fatal crashes and traffic deaths involving aggressive behavior. The state recorded 10.06 fatalities per 100,000 people tied to this issue, along with nine crashes per 100,000 caused by aggressive or careless driving.

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In Colorado, more than 40% of fatal crashes and traffic deaths were connected to aggressive or careless driving. The state issued 1.81 violations per 100,000 residents, the highest rate on this list. It also had 5.37 fatalities per 100,000 tied to reckless behavior and 0.72 road-rage-related gun incidents per 100,000.

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Nearly 40% of fatal crashes and traffic deaths in New Mexico were tied to reckless driving. The state also reported the highest level of road-rage-related gun violence at 1.56 incidents per 100,000 residents — almost four times the national rate. Fatalities from aggressive driving reached 7.94 per 100,000 people.

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Louisiana leads the nation in road rage, with 57% of fatal crashes and 58% of traffic deaths caused by aggressive or careless driving. The state also recorded 9.31 fatal crashes per 100,000 residents linked to this behavior, plus 10.17 fatalities per 100,000. On top of that, Louisiana reported one of the highest violation rates for reckless driving at 1 per 100,000.