Road rage incidents aren’t anything new in the city of Los Angeles and a study from Crosstown L.A. shows just how frequently these incidents have occurred within the last few years.
The nonprofit news agency’s study shows that the number of road rage incidents has increased since 2010. The number of incidents decreased when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, but rose again in 2021.
Researchers used data from the Los Angeles Police Department to document the steady increase in road rage incidents in the city of L.A.
The study didn’t pinpoint the exact reason why the amount of road rage incidents has increased. However, the study states that L.A. traffic congestion and the increasing amounts of road rage incidents involving firearms play a significant role.
In 2022, 264 road rage incidents involving a firearm were reported; a 21.1% increase from the previous year, the study revealed.
Recently, a Sony Pictures Studio employee was shot and wounded during a suspected road rage incident in January.
In February, a suspected road rage left a man critically wounded.
The study also looked at the L.A.-based neighborhoods with the most road rage incident reports in 2022. Downtown L.A. had the most incidents, with 112 road rage reports. Koreatown took the second place spot with 32 reported incidents.
Neighborhoods with the most road rage records, according to the LAPD Crime dataset:
- Downtown Los Angeles: 112
- Koreatown: 32
- Canoga Park: 24
- Reseda: 22
- Venice: 22
- Westlake: 22
- Van Nuys: 20
- Wilmington: 19
- Panorama City:18
- Chatsworth: 17
