There’s a Whole Lot of Rage on Minnesota Roads

We started wondering how big of a deal "road-rage" is in Minnesota, after an Eyota man was arrested and charged with 5th degree assault on Monday, for what was described as a "road-rage" incident. Sgt. Troy Christianson of the Minnesota State Patrol provided us with the alarming stats below:

He says, "Troopers respond to a number of calls on a daily basis based on driving conduct and many other issues and actions occurring on our highways. While we do not specifically track “road rage” incidents, I can provide statistics on the number of incidents related to driving conduct and other issues."

Driving Complaints:   57,465 (2015)

33,865 (2016 to-date)

Gun Pointing Incidents: 119 (2015)

76 (2016 to-date)

 If confronted by an aggressive driver, you should:

·     Get out of their way.

•     Stay calm — reaching your destination safely is your goal.

•     Do not challenge them.

•     Avoid eye contact.

•     Ignore gestures and don’t return them.

•     Report aggressive driving (vehicle description, license number, location).

•     Always buckle up to maintain proper seating position in case of abrupt driving maneuvers.

 Report Aggressive Drivers:

·     Find a safe place to call 911

•     Be prepared to provide location, vehicle description and license plate.

If you have any questions concerning traffic related laws or issues in Minnesota send your questions to Sgt. Troy Christianson – Minnesota State Patrol at 2900 48th Street NW, Rochester MN 55901-5848.  (Or reach him at, Troy.Christianson@state.mn.us)