EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WEHT)- The 911 calls from last week’s road rage incident on Green River Road are giving us a closer look at how dangerous aggressive driving and confrontation can be. One person was shot several times during the incident. Another person was grazed by a bullet. As they recover from their injuries, law enforcement is giving advice on what to do during a road rage incident.
“Operator: Evansville 911?”
“Caller: Uh yeah, some guy just got out of a car and ran an just shot someone else in a car then that car took off.”
Evansville is no stranger to aggressive driving. But officials say a road rage incident like this is out of the norm. Evansville Police say the shooting on Green River Road likely started out as aggressive driving. Police say the incident became road rage when shots were fired.
“Road rage is when there is a crime committed. So you may have a driver that uses his vehicle and runs another vehicle off the roadway. Or you have a river that takes a gun and actually shoots at another vehicle or at another driver,” says ISP Sergeant Todd Ringle.
UE Psychology professor, Dr. Lora Becker, says the outcome depends on how you react.
“We have a flight and fight system and we want to defend ourselves. Have you ever accidentally hit your hand and then automatically turned around and hit the thing that hit your hand? Then you double hurt your hand. That is the reaction we have. We get mad when something makes us hurt or makes us upset,” she says.
Instead of getting mad, officials say the best way to deescalate the situation is to apologize.
“Once you say sorry, it diffuses the situation and the aggressive driver is going to go down the roadway,” Sgt. Ringle says.
Police say if you feel like someone is following you, do not go to your house. Instead, drive to your local police station or other public place.
