The Missouri State Highway Patrol is seeing a rise in road rage and aggressive driving incidents in the area.
Troopers want to caution drivers from behaviors which could lead to an incident with a tragic outcome.
Following a reported shots fired incident stemming from road rage on Wednesday morning, Jan. 15 in St. Joseph, law enforcement officers are concerned with how these situations are becoming too common.
“Locally, here at the Troop Headquarters, we receive calls weekly about people brandishing firearms while they’re traveling out on the Interstate especially,” Sergeant Shane Hux with MSHP Troop H said. “This is a serious issue the public needs to consider before engaging in road rage.”
With the condition of the local roadways due to recent weather, some drivers are using more caution on the roads and driving slower. Other motorists are in a hurry to get to their destination which can lead to aggressive driving.
If a speeding driver is tailgating you or trying to engage you in risky driving, law enforcement advises that you safely steer your vehicle out of the way.
“It is a violation of state law to travel in the left lane unless you’re actively passing somebody,” Sgt. Hux said. “If you want to drive slower, just simply move over to the other lane. What we don’t want to see is people get attitudes, getting upset and doing any type of hand gesture or throwing anything outside of their vehicles to provoke that situation.”
If motorists find themselves involved in a road rage incident or if they see a situation that is escalating, call law enforcement, especially if individuals believe a driver is following or harassing them.
“The safest thing for you to do would be pull over to a public location and remain on the call with 911 or *55 until we can get an officer out there to assist you,” said Sgt. Hux.
Law enforcement officials are cautioning drivers that road rage is a serious crime which can lead to charges and even jail time if physical altercations occur.