Illinois one of lowest states for road rage shootings
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Road rage shooting incidents have skyrocketed over the past decade, a new analysis finds, increasing from 83 nationally in 2014 to 456 in 2023 — a nearly 450% jump.
The big picture: The findings, from an analysis of Gun Violence Archive (GVA) data by the gun violence newsroom The Trace, mirror a broader increase in gun-related violence.
Yes, but: Illinois (0.7 average shooting incidents per million people from 2014 to 2023) has one of the lower rates in the country, in stark contrast to our neighbors to the north.
Zoom in: Wisconsin (1.94) is one of the top states in the country for road rage shootings, just behind New Mexico (2.65 ), and Tennessee (1.91).
- Texas (1.81), Washington, D.C. (1.78), and Arizona (1.74) are not far behind.
Stunning stat: "The number of road rage shootings tracked by GVA increased by an average of 23% each year over the past decade," The Trace reports.
Caveat: The GVA is a private nonprofit that produces a range of gun violence estimates based on police reports, government data, news stories, and more.
- Some incidents go unreported, so not every relevant episode is captured.
Between the lines: As the number of guns in circulation continues growing and many states relax their gun control laws, it's possible that road rage incidents that otherwise would've been an exchange of middle fingers, colorful language, or fists instead turn into shootouts.