Texas Drivers Admit To Having Road Rage At Higher Rate Than Most Americans
NORTH TEXAS (CBSDFW.COM) - According to a new study, when compared to the rest of the country Texas drivers are admitting to road rage and aggressive driving at an alarming rate.
The study, by Austin-based insurance comparison company Zebra, says things like hand gestures, yelling, or doing something to make another driver feel unsafe are all considered acts of road rage and 87% of Texans admit to engaging in the behavior.
On a national level tailgating is what prompted most drivers to react badly, but in Texas drivers are riled most by distracted driving -- like being on the phone behind the wheel.
Kristen Abelenda, who commutes on Interstate-35 for work, said it isn't east to spot a driver that isn't focused on the road. "You can notice because they kind of swerve into your lane a little bit and kind of correct themselves once they notice," she said.
In addition to legal consequences being found guilty of road rage can hurt drivers financially too. According to The Zebra, aggressive driving and road rage is punished more harshly in Texas and the additional insurance penalties could make the final bill more expensive than getting a DUI.