Wisconsin ranks #8 worst road rage in America, Milwaukee drivers react to new report
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) – It’s a feeling many drivers in Milwaukee are familiar with: the driver behind you is tailgating, laying on the horn, weaving between lanes and yelling out the window. New data from ConsumerAffairs reveals Wisconsin ranks 8th in the United States for road rage.
“People are buzzing you on the right-hand side, not stopping for the red lights, going through the yellow lights, it’s just crazy,” said Fred Hamburg, a driver.
Using the latest fatal crash data from National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and traffic-related gun violence data from the Gun Violence Archive, Consumer Reports found:
- 167 out of 529 fatal crashes in Wisconsin involved aggressive or careless driving — that’s 32% of all deadly crashes statewide.
- At the same time, 34% of all traffic fatalities (595 total) in Wisconsin were tied to aggressive or careless driving.
Jeanne Lupo, the president of the nonprofit “Enough is Enough ~ A Legacy for Erin” working to combat reckless driving, said construction projects in the area are only causing drivers to have to navigate new routes and become even more aggressive, enhancing the issue.
“The people who choose to do this are causing a problem for people who might be law-abiding or driving the speed limit,” Lupo said. “It’s not only a safety issue, it’s fearful to be on the roads.”
On Monday, Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson attended an event for Wisconsin Bike Week, where he shared how recent bike infrastructure projects have helped calm traffic.
“We’ll bike on Kilbourn Avenue where we saw a 33% decrease in crashes and a 21% decrease in people speeding after concrete protected bike lanes were installed. That makes the streets safer for people in Milwaukee,” Johnson said.
Lupo said her organization will continue to work with city leaders to reduce reckless driving caused by aggressive and careless behavior.
“It’s just creating such a huge public safety crisis in the area for everyone, people are throwing up their hands so tired of it,” Lupo said.
Hamburg hopes people put their rage toward the disappointing data.
“It bothers me,” Hamburg said. “We gotta drive safely, ya know?”
You can read the full report from ConsumerAffairs here.