CSP says road rage reports in Colorado reached record highs in 2022
For the first time since Colorado State Patrol created its *CSP reporting line in 1998, road rage reports outnumbered those of suspected impaired driving on Colorado roadways.
*CSP was initially created for reporting impaired driving, however, in 2022 54% of the reports made through the line were regarding road rage.
"Driving behavior became exponentially worse during COVID and it never healed," said trooper, Tyler Garrod.
In 2022, alone CSP fielded more than 31,000 reports of road rage, up nearly 5% compared to the reports received in 2021.
"We can't be everywhere at once so we rely on these reports we get through star CSP," Garrod said.
Garrod said that reports of road rage are on the rise in Colorado, and so are the dangers associated with many of the reports.
CSP has seen drivers intentionally swerving their vehicles toward others, brake-checking vehicles and some even firing guns at other cars.
"They are all things that are 100% preventable," Garrod said. "It starts with something little and can progress all the way to gun violence, which we have seen in recent years. I've investigated my fair share of gun violent incidents that start with road rage."
CSP encouraged people to always call troopers or in emergencies, 911 if they are needing to report road rage or impaired driving.
Garrod said those who have been involved in a road rage incident should disengage.
Instead of following the other vehicle, he said it is important to try and get their license plate number or other very specific descriptive details of the car involved.
Then, the driver should pull over, call the line and provide the information immediately to dispatch.
He said some people wait to make reports until hours or even days later, making the job very difficult for a trooper to follow up with.
"People need to be able to take one on the chin and just let it go. The hand gesture thing, we see that a lot. And for whatever reason, that throws people over the edge. Once hand gestures get involved it's a one-on-one fight from that point on and it doesn't get any better," Garrod said. "Give the report to a law enforcement agency so we can take care of the unsafe behavior that way it doesn't escalate into violence, which is what we want to prevent."
