The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA)’s data shows Alabama ranks third for the most fatal road rage crashes.
Kitchel Law, a Washington-based personal injury firm, analyzed the NHTSA’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) and found that between 2020 and 2024, there were 401 fatal road-rage crashes in the state.
The top three states, Colorado, Indiana and Alabama, make up nearly half of all U.S. road-rage fatalities.
Just last September, an alleged road rage incident on Interstate 65 was caught on dashcam video. While no one was killed, two people were injured after an altercation between a truck driver and people inside a small car. No arrest was made in that case. Alabaster Police are still asking the public to come forward with any information.
In December, a Baldwin County man was arrested after another driver accused him of shooting at their vehicle, then purposely crashing into it.
In at least two other cases in other states, Alabama drivers have been accused of road rage.
Just last Friday, an Alabama driver was accused of pulling a gun on another driver on Interstate 75 in Monroe, Mich.
In February, 31-year-old Aaron Wayne Purvis was arrested in Franklin County, Tenn., and charged with first-degree homicide and first-degree attempted homicide. Police said Purvis fired shots into a car on Interstate 65 due to road rage. The driver of the other vehicle was killed and the passenger was injured.
1819 News spoke with AAA Alabama spokesperson Sheri Falk about how to prevent and respond to road rage incidents.
“From a safety standpoint, the most important thing any driver can do is stay calm and avoid escalating the situation,” said Falk. “Road rage incidents often start with something minor, but can quickly turn serious, or even deadly.”
Falk said that, in addition to staying calm, drivers should avoid engaging and maintain distance from the other driver. If drivers do feel threatened, they should contact law enforcement immediately.
“At AAA, we remind drivers that you can’t control someone else’s behavior, but you can control your response,” Falk added. “Staying calm isn’t just good advice, it’s a critical safety decision.”
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