SALT LAKE CITY — The state of Utah is topping the list of a study that residents might not be proud of.
People across the country tend to claim their state has the worst drivers, but a new report backs up Utahns in saying that drivers in the Beehive State have the worst road rage nationwide.
So, if you've ever been on the receiving end of a rude gesture, honking or tailgating while on a Utah road - know that you aren't alone.
The report from Forbes Advisor surveyed 5,000 drivers across the country, at least 100 from each state.
Results found that 76% of participants in Utah had experienced another driver honking at them in frustration.
Of those surveyed, 58% of Utah respondents said they had received an offensive gesture while on the road.
Researchers also found that about 27% of Utah drivers said they knew of someone within the state who had been injured due to road rage.
The study comes just one day after a man was shot in the face due to a road rage incident in Taylorsville.
Utah Highway Patrol spoke to FOX 13 News about road rage in the state and suggested the best way to deescalate a road rage scenario.
"So if you're already being subjected to some road rage, the best thing to do is not engage," explained Trooper Mike Alexander. "Well, sometimes human nature is to, you know, engage and go back and forth with the other individual and that doesn't do anything but make the situation worse.
Trooper Alexander also said that people who feel truly unsafe should call law enforcement.
"If it's something that's egregious or something that needs to be reported is an actual hazard to the public then call 911 and report it," he said. "Allow us to take care of that rather than trying to be the law enforcer yourself."
If you've ever been on the receiving end of road rage, you might be worked up after the incident. Trooper Alexander says the best thing for you in those situations is to remember some perspective.
"So if you're driving down the road and you're subjected to something like that on the roadway, you need to think about what's important for yourself right now, you and your family," he said. "The important thing is to get home to your family."
The table below shows the ranking of each state in the study:
