BELLINGHAM, Wash. – Road rage incidents are seeing an alarming uptick across the state.
The Washington State Patrol reports that road rage-related shootings nearly tripled between 2018 and 2022, jumping from 465 to just over 1,000 last year.
More weapons have also been displayed, but not used, during that same time period.
KOMO reports that police believe the pandemic has played a role in the rise in shootings and brandishing incidents.
They suggest that people who drove during the pandemic may have gotten used to emptier roadways and are becoming increasingly frustrated with more traffic.
