Road rage. We’ve all felt it, though most of us would like to deny it. Someone swerves in front of you, brakes suddenly, or “forgets” to use their blinker. In our fast-paced world, these inconveniences can leave many drivers a little more than irritated. This may be especially true if you live in Southern California, where you might be living in one of 6 of the nation’s 20 cities with the most road rage.
What cities in SoCal have the highest levels of road rage? According to data gathered from #roadrage posts on Instagram, Auto Insurance Center ranked the following SoCal cities in the top 20:
- #1 Los Angeles
- #5 San Diego
- #7 Anaheim
- #11 Santa Monica
- #15 Beverly Hills
- #19 Culver City
The top 20 list represents only part of a huge problem. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), since 2004, the number of fatal auto accidents caused by road rage have increased dramatically. This is illustrated through social media, where #roadrage is used tens of thousands of times every year. This year alone, #roadrage has been identified more than 65,000 times on Instagram.
Using #roadrage to Understand the Problem
Auto Insurance Center analyzed more than 65,000 uses of the #roadrage to better understand the road rage problem. Their analysis revealed the following:
- August is the worst month for road rage
- Friday is the worst day for road rage
- Sunday has the least reports or hashtags
- Road rage seems to peak between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m.
- Hawaii ranked #1 for #roadrage posts, followed by California
While social media can help us better understand some dynamics of problems like road rage, the issue is much deeper. Every year, there are numerous auto accidents, injuries, and deaths caused by road rage-related violence. Drivers should be careful to avoid dangerous behavior by being alert, staying calm, and obeying the law.