What states’ drivers are most (and least) prone to ‘road rage’?

According to Forbes Advisor, driving in the U.S. is getting increasingly dangerous due to confrontational driving. 

“The number of violent road rage incidents across the United States has surged over the past decade,” Forbes said. “Between 2014 and 2023, road rage shootings increased by more than 400%, from 92 to 481, according to an analysis of data from the nonprofit Gun Violence Archive conducted by The Trace, a nonprofit newsroom that covers gun violence in America.” 

As many truck drivers know, road rage is becoming a significant issue. In what states are drivers most likely to encounter an angry driver?

According to Forbes, the prevalence of road rage varies significantly by state. Some states experience much higher rates of aggressive driving, putting people in those areas at greater risk when they get behind the wheel. 

To determine which states have the angriest and most confrontational drivers, Forbes Advisor surveyed 10,000 licensed drivers and compared all 50 states across nine key metrics. 

Top 10 states with the most confrontational drivers 

1. California – California drivers ranked as the most confrontational drivers across all 50 states, with a high percentage of drivers experiencing some type of road rage, including being cut off, cursed at and tailgating. 
2. Missouri – Missouri is just slightly behind California in second place for the most confrontational drivers, with the highest percentage nationwide of drivers who have been yelled at or threatened by another driver. 
3. Utah – Drivers in Utah are among the worst for road rage with a high percentage of drivers experiencing some type of confrontation on the road. 
4. Oklahoma – Oklahoma drivers are more likely to experience rude or offensive gestures while driving than in the rest of the country. 
5. Colorado – Drivers in Colorado are among the angriest in the country, with a high percentage of drivers encountering another driver getting out of their car to fight or yell at them. 
6. Mississippi – Drivers in Mississippi are most likely to be confronted by an angry driver who has gotten out of their vehicle due to road rage. 
7. Virginia – Virginia tied with Indiana as the seventh most confrontational state in the nation, with a high number of drivers saying they’ve been forced off the road by other drivers. 
8. Indiana – Indiana tied for seventh place with Virginia for having a high number of drivers who have experienced confrontational drivers on the road. 
9. New York – New York drivers are among the angriest in the country and are most likely to experience another driver exiting their vehicle to confront them while on the road. 
10. Maryland – Maryland has some of the worst road rage in the country, including drivers being purposefully blocked from merging or changing lanes. 

States with the least amount of confrontational drivers include Alabama, Iowa, Montana, Vermont, Wyoming, Maine, Georgia, North Dakota and South Dakota. Hawaii was named as the state with least amount of confrontational drivers in the country in 2024. 

Dana Guthrie

Dana Guthrie is an award-winning journalist who has been featured in multiple newspapers, books and magazines across the globe. She is currently based in the Atlanta, Georgia, area.