Illinois State Police will increase patrols on Chicago-area expressways beginning Friday night in response to a surge in freeway shootings. NBC 5’s Lexi Sutter reports.
Officials with the Illinois State Police are asking motorists not to engage in aggressive driving habits as the number of expressway shootings that are tied to road rage have steadily increased in the first six months of 2022.
According to ISP, approximately 35% of expressway shootings that police have responded to so far this year have been classified as “road rage incidents,” according to information obtained from victims and eyewitnesses.
That marks an increase of 12% over last year’s totals, according to officials.
“Over the past year, “we’ve seen an increase in reported road rage incidents escalating into violence,” ISP Director Brendan Kelly said in a statement. “As we head into summer, high temperatures can lead to hot tempers and people losing their cool, or even the deadly use of firearms.”
State police have had to implement numerous new strategies to combat an increase number of expressway shootings in recent years, including additional patrols, expressway cameras and license-plate readers on area roadways.
After hitting record highs last year, expressway shootings are down this year, according to data from Arcgis, with 105 expressway shootings reported so far in 2022.
If you encounter an aggressive driver, or are being confronted in a road rage incident, police recommend that you:
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-Ignore the driver if at all possible, and call 911 immediately.
-If being followed by an aggressive driver, drive to the nearest police station or well-lit and populated area, and call 911.
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