Congestion on the roads of West Virginia and across the country has drivers in a high state of agitation, creating a potentially dangerous environment for road safety. A study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety suggests that almost four out of five U.S. motorists have shown signs of aggression, anger or other forms of road rage while driving in the past year.

More worrisome for road safety, the survey’s results indicate that around 8 million drivers actively engaged in extreme road rage behaviors, including ramming another car deliberately or exiting the vehicle to confront another motorist physically. Road rage situations pose a risk not only to those directly involved but to all others on the road who could face increased risk of collisions.

At the same time that most drivers reported their own anger, aggression and road rage, nearly two-thirds of drivers also said that they believe that aggressive driving is a growing problem. Even more, 90 percent of drivers said that this aggression is a serious threat to personal safety.

Men were much more likely to report engaging in aggressive road behavior. Male drivers were three times more likely than female drivers to ram another vehicle deliberately or exit a car for a physical confrontation. There was also a link between other unsafe driving behaviors and aggression, including running red lights or speeding.

Road rage could lead to multiple-car collisions causing serious personal injuries. People who have been injured in these types of accidents caused by the reckless actions of an enraged motorist might want to have the assistance of counsel in pursuing compensation for their losses.