Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru

Mangaluru, May 28: A moment of anger on the road could now land motorists in serious legal trouble, police in coastal Karnataka have warned amid a noticeable rise in road rage incidents across Mangaluru, Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts.

Triggered by seemingly trivial issues such as honking, dangerous overtaking or refusal to give way, confrontations between motorists are increasingly spiralling into heated arguments, assaults and criminal cases. Authorities say aggressive behaviour on roads is no longer being viewed as a minor traffic dispute, but as a serious public safety concern.

According to police sources, nearly 18 to 22 road rage-related cases have been registered in the past year under the Mangaluru city police commissionerate and Dakshina Kannada district limits.

In neighbouring Udupi district, another seven to 10 incidents have been recorded. Officials point out that the trend is steadily worsening — while only around eight to 10 such cases were reported in 2023, the figure rose sharply to 12 to 15 in 2024, with the highest concentration of incidents reported within Mangaluru city limits.

In one recent case at Nanthoor Junction, a two-wheeler rider allegedly picked an argument with police personnel without provocation and eventually ended up facing criminal charges himself. A similar episode had unfolded a month earlier on the Bikarnakatte highway, highlighting what police describe as a growing culture of impatience and aggression on busy roads.

Police officials stressed that road rage is not merely a verbal altercation but a punishable offence under the Indian Motor Vehicles Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

Depending on the severity of the incident, charges may include rash and negligent driving, wrongful restraint of vehicles, criminal intimidation, assault and destruction of property. In extreme situations, even sections related to attempt to murder can be invoked.

Investigators say many confrontations erupt over routine traffic irritants — repeated honking from vehicles behind, abrupt overtaking, refusal to provide side or reckless driving in congested stretches. Mental stress, personal frustrations, delays during urgent travel and drunken driving have also emerged as major triggers behind such incidents.

Authorities have observed that road rage episodes are more common during evening and late-night hours, particularly over weekends when traffic density and commuter stress levels tend to rise. Two-wheeler riders, car drivers, delivery personnel and auto drivers are among those most frequently involved in such confrontations.

Warning motorists against retaliatory behaviour, Dakshina Kannada superintendent of police Sudheer Kumar Reddy said strict action was already being taken against offenders involved in road rage incidents, including those who confront police personnel on duty.

“When one person commits a mistake, the situation becomes far more dangerous if the other person also loses patience and reacts aggressively. If motorists follow traffic rules and exercise restraint, there will be no scope for road rage,” he said.