In case you haven't noticed, road rage has become a serious issue in our country. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that 94% of all traffic accidents in the U.S. are caused by driver error. 33% of those accidents could be linked to road rage behavior.

Road rage was a contributing factor in the shooting deaths of former pro football players and Louisiana residents Will Smith and Joe McKnight.  On June 28th just outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 28-year-old David Desper shot 18-year-old Bianca Nikol Roberson in the head after they both tried to merge into the same lane.  Roberson was killed instantly and Desper will more than likely spend the rest of his life in prison.

I believe the problem is becoming epidemic.  Back on June 6th, I wrote a tongue-in-cheek blog that gave 10 rules for driving like a complete jerk after I was inspired by the incredibly rude drivers I encountered while driving to work down I-20.  It seems that people in Louisiana have taken these rules to heart.

In a new study conducted by Kars4Kids--a driving awareness campaign that promotes courteous driving--Louisiana drivers rank as the 4th rudest in the nation.

We score exceptionally low in a couple of areas.  Louisiana drivers get a D in using turn signals and an F in speeding up to stop someone from passing.  The overall grade for the state is a D-.

As you might expect, men rank much higher than women on the rudeness scale, and those under the age of 25 are the rudest drivers.

In an interview with the Louisiana Radio Network, Kars4Kids spokesman Ari Finkelstein says that Louisiana motorists especially dislike waiting in lines.  In the study, drivers were asked how they would respond in hypothetical situations.  One of the scenarios was set forth this way:  An exit lane is backed up so you have the choice to either get in line and wait your turn to get off the highway, no matter how long it takes; or go to the front of the line and squeeze in at the last second.  Finkelstein said, "Louisiana was actually number 50 in the scenario."

Kars4Kids believes that road rage has become such a crisis that action needs to be taken immediately.  In response they've created the "#DriveHuman" campaign to urge drivers to behave more courteously thereby making our roads safer.

The point of driving your car is to get from Point A to Point B safely, not to race the other cars on the road to get there.

 

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