Maryland State Police are on the lookout for a green pickup truck after yesterday’s crash on I-270 that killed two people. Officials say Christian Luciano, 28 and Lindsay Bender, 25, both from Harrisburg, Pa., were in a ’98 Sebring when they “began exchanging obscene gestures” with the pickup driver. When the truck swerved in front of the car and hit its breaks, Luciano and Bender ran into the guardrail and were thrown from the car. Both died on the scene. Police suspect road rage was a factor in the incident.

The scenario sounds like a traveler’s worst nightmare. In fact, a new survey shows that Washington drivers are more worried about road rage than any other hazard. AAA Mid-Atlantic spokesman John B. Townsend II explains:

Thirty eight percent of all motorists said they feared aggressive drivers and road rage more more than any other thing on the road, including distracted driving, surprisingly, drunk drivers, traffic conditions and even large trucks.

Is D.C. such a tense city that we unleash frustration on the road, or are drivers just paranoid about other Beltway-weary motorists? While the majority of people told AAA that traffic congestion and not poor driving skills are to blame, isn’t it the mark of a good driver to calmly and safely operate a vehicle? Those surveyed also agreed that more traffic cameras would help. In a city where highways can be jammed at 4 p.m. and 4 a.m., what else can we do to alleviate each other’s fears and make the roads safer for everyone?

Photo by Flickr user esshots.