Colorado’s laid-back vibe isn’t carrying over to the roads, according to a newly released study of driver behavior.
The state has the third worst issue with road rage, according to the rankings from Consumer Affairs. It trailed only Louisiana and New Mexico, with its move from No. 4 on the 2024 list fueled in part by the nation’s highest rate of tickets for aggressive or careless driving and speeding. The state boasted 1.81 violations per 100,000 residents, more than eight times the national average.
The problem with road rage can be hard to square with Colorado’s easygoing reputation. The Consumer Affairs rankings tracks with a Forbes Advisor report that used self-reported confrontations by drivers to rank Colorado No. 5 for the most road rage, but other studies have called Colorado one of the kindest and friendliest states.
What makes Colorado so road ragey?
The issue with aggressive, careless and fast driving went a long way to carrying Colorado near the top of the rankings, according to Consumer Affairs.
Colorado’s rate of traffic incidents involving gun violence, fatal accidents involving aggressive or careless driving and fatalities involving aggressive or careless driving were all well above national averages.
Consumer Affairs noted that elected officials are trying to make the roads safer. Recent state laws and local ordinances expanded using cameras for automatic speeding enforcement in some locations and put more restrictions on cellphone use while driving.
10 states with the most aggressive drivers, according to Consumer Affairs
The list of states with the biggest issues with road rage is almost entirely made up of western and southern states.
10 states with the least aggressive drivers, according to Consumer Affairs
Consumer Affairs’ methodology found states with less aggressive drivers sprinkled throughout the country.
Tips for handling aggressive drivers on the road
Consumer Affairs offered a few suggestions on how to try to keep road rage from getting out of hand:
Prepare before you encounter road rage. Trying to get into a good mindset before heading into what you expect could be a stressful driving situation can be helpful.
Stay calm. If you can recognize when you are getting stressed out behind the wheel, try to control it with “grounding techniques” like focusing on your breathing, paying attention to music or doing a “five-senses check.”
Distance yourself. Drive away safely and if you think you are being followed, go to a busy public place or police station instead of going home.
Report if necessary. Details such as vehicle descriptions, license plate numbers and specific actions another driver took are all useful if you feel the threat to your safety warrants a police report.
What was the methodology used by Consumer Affairs for the study
To determine the states with the most road rage, Consumer Affairs scored all 50 states and Washington, D.C., on six categories: traffic incidents involving gun violence, fatal crashes related to aggressive or careless driving, fatalities involving aggressive or careless driving, the percentage of all accidents that involved aggressive or careless driving, the percentage of all traffic fatalities that involved aggressive or careless driving and aggressive/careless driving and speeding violations. All data came from 2023 reports to the Fatality Analysis Reporting System and 2022-24 reports to the Gun Violence Archive.
Nate Trela covers trending news in Colorado and Utah for the USA TODAY Network.
This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Colorado speeds into top 3 for road rage nationwide