ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — North Carolina remains one of the nation’s worst states for road rage, according to a new study that found aggressive and careless driving continues to play a significant role in deadly crashes across the state.
A report from ConsumerAffairs ranked North Carolina as the 10th worst state in the country for road rage in 2026, citing high numbers of fatal crashes, traffic deaths and aggressive-driving violations.
According to the study, aggressive or careless driving was linked to 1,509 fatal crashes and 1,619 traffic deaths in North Carolina. Those incidents accounted for 24 percent of all fatal crashes and 24 percent of all traffic fatalities statewide, the highest raw totals among the 10 states with the worst road rage scores.
While North Carolina ranked 10th overall, several of its individual measures ranked higher nationally. The state had the seventh-highest rate of traffic deaths involving aggressive or careless driving and the eighth-highest rate of fatal crashes linked to aggressive driving.
ConsumerAffairs assigned North Carolina an overall road rage score of 52.87.
The study found North Carolina recorded 3.30 fatal crashes involving aggressive or careless driving per 100,000 residents and 3.49 deaths involving aggressive or careless driving per 100,000 residents.
Researchers also pointed to a sharp increase in speeding and aggressive-driving violations. Traffic violations tied to aggressive or careless driving or speeding increased 88 percent from the previous year.
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North Carolina ranked ninth nationally for violations related to aggressive or careless driving and speeding, recording 0.70 such violations per 100,000 residents. The study also found the state recorded 0.51 traffic incidents involving gun violence per 100,000 residents.
Despite the statistics, North Carolina’s ranking improved slightly. The state moved down three spots from last year’s report, falling from No. 7 to No. 10 after holding the seventh-worst position for two consecutive years.
Researchers noted that while some states posted higher per-capita rates, North Carolina’s large population contributed to the highest overall number of aggressive-driving-related fatal crashes and deaths among the states in the top 10.
The study was based on fatal crash data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and traffic-related gun violence incidents tracked by the Gun Violence Archive. Rankings were calculated using six factors, including fatal crashes, fatalities, speeding and aggressive-driving violations, the percentage of crashes and deaths involving aggressive driving, and traffic incidents involving gun violence.
Nationwide, Arkansas ranked as the worst state for road rage, while Maine ranked as the safest.
Traffic safety experts say drivers can reduce the risk of dangerous encounters by avoiding confrontations with aggressive motorists, allowing extra space between vehicles and remaining calm during stressful situations on the road.
Experts also recommend avoiding eye contact or retaliatory gestures, practicing deep breathing when frustration rises and remembering that another driver’s actions may be the result of distraction or stress rather than intentional hostility.
Despite the slight improvement in its national ranking, North Carolina’s combination of high fatal crash totals and a sharp increase in aggressive-driving violations suggests road rage and risky driving behaviors remain a significant traffic safety challenge across the state.
