DAVIS COUNTY—No matter how it rears its ugly head, road rage is loathsome. Whether it’s tailgating, rude gestures or language, or, as many have seen recently, out-and-out violence, it’s a huge problem, and according to the data, it’s only getting worse. The questions that remain, however, are what is to blame for the increase, and what can be done to stop it? Two professionals share their thoughts.

Sgt. Cameron Roden of the Utah Highway Patrol (UHP) agreed that, while road rage is difficult to quantify, “It does seem like these events are occurring more often” and stated that UHP has been looking into the statistics surrounding road rage. What makes it difficult, however, is that road rage in and of itself is not an infraction or crime, meaning that UHP officers have to sort through mountains of data to find instances. 

As of yet, there haven’t been any trends or noticeable patterns detected by UHP, “we haven’t been able to identify any one reason,” said Roden, and even the offenders are a mixed bag of first-timers and those with a history. That doesn’t mean that UHP is just sitting around, however. Roden explained that educational campaigns both online and on social media are on the way to help curb the rise of violent road rage incidents.

“Road rage itself is something that is 100% avoidable,” Roden said, “Everybody is responsible for driving safely.” But how does one drive safely when there are so many aggressive drivers on the road? According to UHP, and Roden, there are several steps residents can take when they encounter someone driving aggressively. These include:

• Staying focused on the road

• Putting distance between yourself and the aggressive driver

• Calling law enforcement

• Deescalate – don’t engage

For more insight into what could be causing this marked increase in violent events, Dr. Rene Valles of Davis Behavioral Health lent his professional insight. Dr. Valles, a board-certified psychiatrist agreed that, while there may be no one specific cause of these incidents, there are a few factors that could be contributing to the rise in explosive incidents people are seeing on Utah roads. 

Valles echoed Roden’s sentiments and provided data that showed a marked increase in road rage incidents in the past 10 years. Valles also provided some insight into not only possible causes, but possible explanations for what’s going on with the people that burst out violently on Utah roads, and elsewhere.

One possible explanation was linked to a study of overcrowded rats that became irritable and violent when crowded together, “(there is a) rise of people on the road,” said Valles, saying that it could very well be that the overcrowding on the roads is leading people to lash out, especially, “when people have a hard time planning ahead.”

The population change in Utah has been significant, and fast. In the past 10 years for example, there’s been an almost 18% increase in population alone, meaning that there are many more people sharing the same amount of space, the same resources, and the same roads. While a major factor in the equation, that’s certainly not all.

Two other contributing factors, said Valles are an increase in substance abuse, and the long-lasting effects of the 2020 pandemic. People abusing substances like drugs or alcohol often get “angrier quicker,” said Valles, leading to violent outbursts. It also limits the ability to think about the long-term consequences of such actions. 

In terms of the pandemic, “we’re all about two years developmentally delayed,” said Valles, “We were all placed in social isolation.” Which means that there’s a lot socially that people either need to learn, or relearn. Interacting with others, especially on the road, requires time and patience, and globally, people are two years behind schedule.

As bleak as it all may seem, solutions exist. In the longterm, Valles says the first step is recognizing the need for help, “Therapy is never the wrong answer,” he said, for everyone, but especially for those struggling with anxiety, depression, anger management, or, what the DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) calls “Intermittent Explosive Disorder,” a condition possibly related to road rage. 

However, in the short term, Valles’ advice for dealing with those on the road exhibiting these behaviors is similar to Roden: don’t engage. “It’s never the right answer to touch a hot stove,” he said, encouraging drivers to move to the next lane, and, if drivers start to get angry themselves, engage in deep breathing exercises, or put on some calming music. 

It’s clear that, no matter the cause, road rage incidents are on the rise, and that they may be here to stay. For those seeking help in managing anger, anxiety, depression, or dealing with the emotional fallout from being attacked or engaged in road rage, resources are available. Davis Behavioral Health has many trained professionals, including Valles on staff to help with these issues, and there are resources like the University of Utah’s mental health center, or the National Association of Mental Illness, which hosts workshops and groups.

As Roden put it, “We all start with ourselves.” Road rage, though on the rise, is something that is completely preventable, and if everyone were to put the work in, Utah’s roads would be a much safer place for everyone driving them.