
Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios
Virginia drivers have some anger issues.
Driving the news: Forbes surveyed 10,000 drivers nationwide and scored all 50 states based on those responses. Virginia ranked fourth for the most controversial drivers in the county, per Forbes.
Why it matters: Road rage and violent incidents because of it are on the rise nationwide. The number of people injured in road rage shootings increased 135% from 2018 to 2022, Forbes reports.
Zoom in: Just over half of all Virginia drivers say someone has exited their car to yell at them or fight.
- Nearly 90% of respondents say they've been cursed at, threatened or insulted by another driver.
- The state also ranks high for drivers that cut off other cars on purpose, flip off other drivers and aggressively honk.
Meanwhile, nearly a quarter of Virginians on the road say they "very frequently" experience road rage.
Of note: City streets are the most common place drivers report experiencing road rage, followed by highways.
- Traffic and stress are the most common causes.
The big picture: The overall bad behavior that started trending up due to the stress of COVID is here to stay, Axios' Tina Reed reports.
- "The pandemic really did change us very inherently because, for the first time in anyone's lifetime, it was like every man for himself," says neuropsychologist Sanam Hafeez.

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