AAA: Nearly 80 percent of drivers have experienced road rage

JACKSON, Tenn. — AAA says nearly 80 percent of drivers have shown some form of road rage in the last year. Although that number is high, locals say it’s not surprising.

“As I was getting ready to make my turn, they saw what I was going to do and they just suddenly put on the brakes,” Jackson resident Gloria Bouknight said. “Then as I blew my horn they flipped me the bird.”

“People that I’ve been with have, and I just have to calm them down, like it’s not that big of a deal,” Jackson resident Ellen Poague said.

That study says about 8 million drivers have extreme road rage. That includes 3 percent actually bumping another vehicle on purpose or even confronting other drivers.

“Not only just ram a car but shoot your car,” New Hope Baptist Church Pastor Reginald Boyd said. “Some people have been murdered from road rage.”

“They better settle down or they [are] going to end up dead,” Jackson resident Billy Dunagan said. “They’ll have a wreck or wreck somebody else, cause somebody else to die or something.”

According to the study, about 45 percent of drivers honk their horn because they are angry or annoyed. That’s 91 million drivers. The study estimates 51 percent purposefully tailgate and 24 percent try to block another vehicle from changing lanes.

Residents say drivers should be more concerned about everyone’s safety on the road.

“They always say you have to drive for yourself and others, so that is true,” Jackson resident Sharon Polk said.

“Slow down, think it through, evaluate the situation and determine is it worth it,” Bouknight said.