Sermon Illustrations
Road Rage: 2 In 3 Drivers Have a Weapon
A speeding car can be a deadly weapon all by itself, but a new survey finds many Americans make sure they’re armed when they get behind the wheel. A poll of 1,000 U.S. residents finds that a staggering 65 percent of drivers keep a weapon in their vehicle in case they need to defend themselves during a road rage incident.
The most common weapon drivers keep hidden is a knife (50%), followed by pepper spray (45%). However, 40 percent admit that they carry a gun with them while on the road. Other weapons American drivers have on hand include tire irons (39%), baseball bats (38%), hockey sticks (31%), tasers (31%), and lacrosse sticks (14%).
As for which cars you may want to stay away from if things get heated on the road, the poll finds BMW, Hyundai, and Mercedes drivers are the most likely to keep a dangerous weapon in their car.
So, what do we mean when we’re talking about “road rage”? These actions include everything from:
Speeding 40%
Honking (28%)
Brake checking another driver (26%)
Angry hand gestures (24%)
Yelling (23%)
However, things can get out of control quickly, leading some drivers to:
Chase or race other cars (20%)
Cut off vehicles on purpose (16%)
Tailgate (16%)
Point a weapon at a fellow driver (4%)
Possible Preaching Angle:
Some advice from AAA for avoiding road rage matches nicely with Scripture: Avoid honking and irritating other drivers (“Judge not, that you be not judged” Matt. 7:1). Being kind - imagine that the person ahead of you lost their job today, (“Be kind and compassionate to one another” Eph. 4:32). Don’t engage with angry motorists (“a soft answer turns away wrath” Prov. 15.1).