Skip to main content

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

Feeling road rage set on? Instagram trends reveal you’re not alone

road rage instagram texting while driving
Lord Jim/Flickr
Of all the anger-inducing activities in our 21st century world, few manage to elicit the level of fury we feel behind the wheel. Road rage, that all-consuming, unthinking, truly terrifying moment of unbridled wrath, is becoming an increasingly common phenomenon — so much so, that it’s a trending theme on social media. As per the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), we’ve seen a notable rise in the the number of fatal accidents caused by road rage or aggressive driving since 2004. And with the advent of social media, companies like the Auto Insurance Center are able to better track when and where road rage is happening most, with hopes of mitigating their effects.

In a recent study, the Auto Insurance Center analyzed 65,535 Instagram posts hashtagged #RoadRage with the hopes of discovering where, when, and why drivers in the U.S. were most upset. As it turns out, August is the worst month when it comes to angry drivers. With summer vacations often leading to more cars on the road, motorists have more fodder for their fury. July comes in at a close second, again lending to the notion that driving in the summer is the worst.

Screen Shot 2016-05-08 at 3.54.40 PM
Image used with permission by copyright holder

In terms of days of the week, Sunday is apparently the least stressful day, but as the week progresses, people behind the wheel get antsier and antsier. By Friday, road rage posts have peaked, seeing nearly 10,500 Instagram hashtags. But by the weekend, people have found their roadway zen again. “The low rate of posts on weekends may point to a clear correlation between commuter-filled roads and incidents of anger,” the insurance company writes. Similarly, the time of day when road rage is most prevalent is in the rush hour as commuters try to make their way home from a busy workday. From 5 to 7 p.m., people are particularly angry with their fellow drivers.

Screen Shot 2016-05-08 at 3.54.51 PM
Image used with permission by copyright holder

So where is road rage the worst? Curiously, drivers in Hawaii, a state that one might expect to be a bit more laid back about driving (and just about everything), suffer most from road rage. But when you consider that traffic in Honolulu was recently ranked third-worst in the nation, and Hawaii is a hotbed for tourists, the frustration makes a bit more sense.

Still, as bad as Honolulu may be, it’s nothing when compared to Los Angeles and New York, the two cities that unsurprisingly logged the most #RoadRage posts. Curiously, Mount Pleasant in North Carolina came in at number three, suggesting a potential misnomer for the city.

Screen Shot 2016-05-08 at 3.55.01 PM
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Ultimately, the Auto Insurance Center concludes, “True road rage — characterized by violence, injury, and even death — is a sobering issue about which true offenders are not likely to post on social media.” So what can you do to avoid these feelings? The agency suggests that you can “allow for extra time in case you run into delays, adjust your schedule to avoid driving through the worst traffic, and listen to music while you drive. If you start to feel angry, it’s vital to relax, breathe deeply, and consider taking a break to stretch your legs or sip some water.”

Editors' Recommendations

Lulu Chang
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Fascinated by the effects of technology on human interaction, Lulu believes that if her parents can use your new app…
Alpine sale: Up to $160 off speakers and subs for your car
alpine speaker sale crutchfield march 2024 car and amp setup on table

If you’re looking to kit your car out with some superior speakers or a subwoofer, Crutchfield is the place to go today. Right now, there’s a huge sale on Alpine subwoofers and speakers with nearly 50 different items forming the sale. As there are so many options, the best idea is to hit the button below to see what’s around. If you don’t know where to start though, read on while we take you through some great items in the sale.

What to shop for in the Alpine sale
Buying the best aftermarket car speakers are important for anyone who spends a lot of time on the road and is currently dealing with a mediocre sound system. One good starting point in the Alpine sale is the 2-way speakers for $104 instead of $130. You get two 2-way speakers with a polypropylene/glass fiber/mica woofer with a specialized rubber surround. There’s a one-inch silk dome tweeter with speakers able to handle up to 80 watts RMS with 240 watts peak power. The grilles aren’t included but the factor ones should be fine for most purposes.

Read more
Mercedes to trial humanoid robots for ‘low-skill, repetitive, demanding’ jobs
Apptronik's Apollo robot at work in an auto plant.

Humanoid robots have been coming on leaps and bounds in recent years, and some major companies are starting to take note.

Mercedes-Benz, for example, has just entered into an agreement with Texas-based robotics specialist Apptronik to collaborate on identifying applications for highly advanced robots that the auto giant could deploy. The deal will involve a trial that will see Apptronik's Apollo humanoid robot work alongside Mercedes' human workers on the factory floor.

Read more
Hyundai Ioniq 9: price, release date, range, and more
Hyundai Ioniq 9 Front

Hyundai has been at the forefront of EV development for a while now, largely thanks to the success of the crossover-sized Hyundai Ioniq 5. But the company is readying another new EV that could be even more popular than the Ioniq 5 -- or at least more desirable in the U.S., the land of big cars.

The upcoming Ioniq 9, previously set to be called the Ioniq 7, will be Hyundai's take on an electric SUV. It will be to Hyundai what the Kia EV9 is to Kia. It will have three rows and carry over design elements from the Ioniq 5.

Read more