A new survey found that California drivers are the most confrontational motorists across all 50 states, with a high percentage also having been the victim of road rage, including being cut off, cursed at and tailgated.
To determine which states have the angriest and most confrontational drivers, Forbes Advisors, a news and information website, surveyed 10,000 licensed drivers and compared all 50 states across nine key metrics.
The survey found that nearly half of respondents said another California driver has cut them off on purpose.
Data also showed that nearly one third of those surveyed said they have been on the receiving end of yelling, insults, curses or threats from another California driver.
More than 60% of respondents said another driver has tailgated their car. And more than one third of California motorists reported that another driver has tried to block their car from merging or changing lanes.
But it’s not just California that is seeing road rage and confrontational drivers.
The number of violent road rage incidents across the United States has surged over the past decade. Between 2014 and 2023, road rage shootings increased by more than 400%, 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. During that 10-year period, angry drivers shot 3,095 people, according to The Trace.
While California tops the list of states with the worst road rage, Hawaii is home to the most polite drivers in the nation.