Despite the ongoing measures to reduce gun violence, the United States witnessed a decrease in gun-related homicides during the year before the pandemic compared to the previous year. However, since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2022, there has been a decline in the spike of gun violence that occurred during the height of the pandemic.
During the month leading up to the survey, 80% of the drivers surveyed by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety reported at least one incident, indicating that encountering aggressive driving on the road is a common occurrence. However, the situation can escalate from a brief unpleasant moment to a potentially dangerous incident for drivers, their passengers, and pedestrians when a gun is involved. The likelihood of experiencing road rage is higher when there is a gun in the car. A survey initially conducted in Arizona and then nationwide discovered that motorists who had a gun in their vehicle were more likely to behave rudely or aggressively and exhibit road rage. This included making offensive gestures, cutting off other cars, or engaging in other hazardous driving behaviors. Another study conducted in 2017 found that motorists displayed more aggressive behavior when there was a firearm in the vehicle, and even the mere presence of a gun was associated with dangerous driving.
In 2022, there was an average of one road rage incident every 16 hours where a person was either injured or killed by a gunshot. The number of deaths resulting from road rage shootings in the United States doubled from 70 in 2021 to 141 in 2022. Additionally, the number of gun-related injuries in road rage incidents significantly rose from 176 in 2018 to 413 in 2022. By analyzing road rage incidents using the Gun Violence Archive’s database, Everytown Research & Policy discovered that the number of injuries and deaths caused by guns in road rage incidents has consistently increased each year since 2018.
In 2022 someone was shot and injured or killed in a road rage incident on average every 16 hours.
In the states of Wisconsin, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Arizona, and New Mexico, road rage shooting victims represent 20 percent of the US population but comprise only 8 percent. Among these five states, the rate of road rage shooting incidents involving individuals is the highest. It is worth noting that there is a notable discrepancy between states, even though at least one victim was reported in every state across the country in 2022.
The Northeast, experiences higher rates of victimization from road rage shootings.
The strength of carry permit laws impacts road rage
The chart below clearly shows that in 2022, the states that were permitless have the highest rate of road rage shootings with injuries or deaths. This analysis excludes Vermont because Vermont has never required a permit for carrying a concealed handgun in public.
The rate of deaths and injuries resulting from road rage incidents, when comparing states that permitless carry to states that require a permit, was calculated to be 100 * 1 – (1.76 / 2.23). In 2022, states that did not require a permit had a 27 percent higher rate of injuries and deaths in road rage incidents involving guns than states that had the most protective standards. Additionally, states that did not require a permit had a nearly tripled rate of victimization from shooting incidents related to road rage compared to states that required a permit. The broad enforcement authority did not give the application the ability to deny, but rather, it required a permit.
Connecticut and Rhode Island remained unaffected by the ruling of the Supreme Court. For further details regarding the states that have “good cause” prerequisites, including eight other states, and the authority of permit issuers to reject applicants who pose a risk to public safety, please refer to https://bit.Ly/3Jk1Et5. Nevertheless, a significant outcome of the Supreme Court case in June 2022 is that several states with the lowest incidents of road rage (represented by the light blue line) have been compelled to relax their legislations. This is one of the repercussions resulting from the recent decision. Additionally, we anticipate an increase in road rage as another potential consequence.
The tragic results of weak gun-carrying regulations and road rage have made it easier for people to take guns out of their homes and into their cars. An analysis of state-level data and a comprehensive assessment of violent crime rates show that states with weaker standards have seen a 13 to 15 percent increase in overall crime rates. This research was conducted by D. Kyle Weber, Abhay Aneja, and J. John Donohue at the National Bureau of Economic Research in November 2018. You can find more information in their working paper titled “A Comprehensive Assessment of State-Level Synthetic Control Analysis Using Panel Data: Violent Crime and Right-to-Carry Laws.” (Source: https://www.Nber.Org/papers/w23510.Pdf)
Conclusion
Gun safety policies, specifically those mandating a permit to conceal a handgun in public, help safeguard our communities from road rage shootings, as indicated by this analysis. One potential contributing factor may be the notable surge in firearm sales that commenced in 2020. The ongoing pandemic and its associated consequences have introduced various novel stressors into individuals’ lives. The exact cause behind this sustained rise in road rage shootings remains uncertain.
Now more crucial than ever is action from policymakers to curb gun violence. These patterns are not decelerating, but one aspect is evident: additional investigation on incidents of road rage shootings is necessary.