Los Angeles Sees 870 Road Rage Incidents in 2022
Los Angeles is the epicenter of Southern California. It is the largest city in the state and the second most populous in the country. There is a population of over 3.9 million within city limits. Frustration is understandable when so many people are trying to get around. However, it can result in a road rage incident when frustration turns into anger. Arash Law, created by famous attorney Arash Khorsandi, Esq., can help if you suffer an injury during a road rage accident. Our Los Angeles road rage accident lawyers can review your case and protect your rights.
Road rage is an ongoing problem in Los Angeles. Incidents are higher than ever before. The Los Angeles Police Department reported that 870 accidents in 2022 were from road rage incidents, the highest number in the last seven years. A study from Crosstown, L.A., further confirms this statement by saying it is the highest number since 2010.
These statistics have gotten much attention, and researchers have noticed. Ryan Martin, a professor at the University of Wisconsin whose research focuses on expressions of anger and why people express road rage, states, “It feels like Americans have become increasingly less patient with one another – that they are stressed in ways that are bringing out a lot of negative emotions.”
He also attributes driver anonymity as a cause for them to act out angrily. Martin suggests that drivers encountering road rage use extreme defensive driving: avoid confrontation and let it go. Drivers must drive defensively, even though their instinct is to get revenge.
Types of Anger at Play in Road Rage Incidents
There are varying degrees of road rage you can encounter in Los Angeles. The perpetrator participates in road rage out of misplaced anger. They feel threatened in some way and therefore act out. Anger can raise blood pressure and hypertension, provide an adrenaline rush, and lead to death.
Suppressed anger can sometimes be released or triggered during the mundane task of driving. The three types of anger you can experience are:
- Open aggression
- Passive aggression
- Assertive anger
UC Irvine’s Doctor Raymond Novaco categories anger styles as follows:
- Cognitive
- Somatic-affective
- Behavioral
The most common anger that leads to road rage is irrational anger. There is no explanation for where the anger came from or why. Arash Law, led by Arash Khorsandi, Esq., will use its experience and knowledge to handle your road rage incident and pursue justice for you.
Vehicle-Driven Conflicts Hit a High in 2022
While road rage incidents are higher in 2022 than in previous years, they are also more violent than ever before. November 9 resulted in a frightening situation on a local freeway. Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascon reports that a man in a fit of road rage got out of the back of his Tesla. He then threatened a woman and broke one of her headlights. That was his second attack that day.
Earlier that day, he threatened a different woman outside a storage faucet in Atwater Village. He was identified as Nathaniel Radimak, age 36. The district attorney’s office alleges he has been involved in a series of road rage incidents. According to Gascon, he had a history of threats, violence, and aggressive outbursts.
In January, Radimak was charged with four counts of criminal threats, one felony count of vandalism, and four counts of assault. All of these and additional charges are tied to road rage attacks. “Motorists in Los Angeles shouldn’t have to live in fear of being attacked while simply driving on the freeway,” Gascón stated.
While this statement should be true, it does not change the increasing number of road rage incidents in Los Angeles. Eight hundred seventy road rage incidents in Los Angeles show how severe this problem has become. It is a 23.1 percent increase from the previous year and a 30.6 percent increase from 2019, per the LAPD. In 2019, 31 percent of Los Angeles road rage incidents involved a gun in 2022. In 2019, those incidents were 16 percent.
The graphic shows that road rage incidents have increased since 2010. The number decreased during the pandemic but then went back up substantially afterward. The 2022 numbers were heavily influenced by 90 incidents reported in June and July. After these summer months, the numbers fell substantially, with only one month reporting more than 70 road rage incidents in Los Angeles.
From January to June 30, 2022, there were 459 reported road rage incidents in Los Angeles. It is a 33 percent increase compared to the same time in 2021. Experts attribute the increase in Los Angeles road rage incidents to stress, job insecurity, and family problems. You have legal protection if you have been in a road rage incident.
Road Diets
After reviewing these numbers, the biggest question is what is causing so much anger on the roads. James Moore, director of the USC Transportation Engineering Program, says road diets can contribute. These road diets are intended to slow speeds and make the streets safer for everyone. However, in some instances, diets can have a different effect.
Programs are being implemented in different communities. Many road diets emphasize pedestrian safety and deemphasize automobile usage. This change can lead to road rage incidents.
“If you increase people’s frustration, you are more likely to get bad behavior. Road diets, despite how useful they seem, do generate additional frustration,” said Moore.
Rising Gun Use
While road rage can seem as annoying as a driver giving you the middle finger, it can lead to violence. It is much more severe than people realize. The LAPD defines road rage as a person committing assault with a weapon due to something that happened while driving. Road rage incidents have not just increased in number but also in severity.
Road rage incidents are becoming more violent, and gun use is becoming prevalent. In 2022, there were 264 road rage incidents involving a firearm, per LAPD data. This number is a 21.1 percent increase from 218 in the previous year. Compared to the 2019 incidents, it is a whopping 151.4 percent increase.
Some road rage incidents are so egregious that they attract media attention. One incident in particular on November 14 had this result. The incident involved an impatient driver opening fire on actress Denise Richards. Her husband, Aaron Phypers, was driving their truck and slowed down to search for a parking lot. Another driver got angry and began shouting at them. The driver then started shooting and hit the back of the truck. Luckily, the couple was uninjured.
While this incident did not result in injuries, many others did. One such case occurred on July 12, when someone followed Carlos Hernandez exiting the 105 freeway in the Green Meadows neighborhood. The driver opened fire, striking Hernandez, who died at the scene. The other driver was never identified. Men are more likely to be involved in road rage incidents. In 2022, 593 road rage incidents involved a male suspect, per LAPD data.
Common Road Rage Injuries in Los Angeles
While firearm use can lead to severe injuries and property damage, the driver can use different weapons or none to cause injury. They can use their hands, car, and objects inside the vehicle. The most common road rage injuries our Los Angeles road rage accident lawyers have seen include:
- Puncture wounds
- Head and brain injuries
- Broken bones
- Compound fractures
- Cavitation from gunshot wounds
- Wrongful death
- Lacerations, cuts, and bruises
You must seek medical attention immediately to address your injuries. Then you should speak to our Los Angeles car accident lawyers.
Neighborhoods with the Most Road Rage Incidents
Los Angeles has many different neighborhoods. The most heavily trafficked area is Downtown LA. In 2022, there were 112 road rage incidents reported. That is more than in any other Los Angeles neighborhood. In the second most populous area, Koreatown, there were 32 incidents.
Road rage incidents do not seem to be calming down. The year 2023 has already seen many reported road rage incidents in Los Angeles. That means we will likely see more incidents like the one described involving Radimak. Per the D.A.’s office, he is accused of hitting a driver’s car with a pipe on January 11. It is also alleged that he followed a couple from the Pasadena shopping mall on the same day, nearly hitting them with his Tesla.
These numbers are based on reported incidents. As you can assume, many incidents are not reported. That means the number of road rage incidents throughout Los Angeles is much higher than the one addressed here.
What You Can Do When Facing Road Rage Incident
You are not responsible for another person’s actions or behavior. While your instinct is to engage or get revenge, you should not. If you are being targeted for road rage, lock your doors. Assess the situation and see if you have space to move away. Drive to the nearest police station if possible. If you cannot get to a station, have an occupant call 911.
You must secure legal representation if you suffered injuries or were harmed in a road rage incident. Schedule an initial consultation with a Los Angeles road rage accident lawyer.
Contact a Los Angeles Traffic Accident Lawyer Specialized in Road-Rage Incidents
Road rage incidents are on the rise, and while drivers can try to stay safe, these incidents can still happen. If you are in a road rage incident resulting in injuries, you can seek compensation from the negligent person. Call the Los Angeles car accident lawyers from Arash Law, spearheaded by Arash Khorsandi, Esq., at (888) 488-1391.
We serve clients in San Francisco, Riverside, Sacramento, San Jose, Los Angeles, San Diego, Sherman Oaks, and throughout California. We have collected over 500 Million dollars for clients across the state.
