INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana State Police is asking drivers to be vigilant on the roadways.
The agency says road rage shootings are on the rise across the state as Indianapolis is on track to break its record of 55 road rage incidents from last year.
We’re only halfway into the year and there have been 40 road rage incidents in the Indianapolis area, according to ISP.
This is alarming for truck drivers.
“You’re not going to get anywhere any faster by trying to beat your odds,” truck driver Jeff Bell said.
Rodney Peterson has spent 22 years behind the wheel. He says he sees anywhere from 10 to 20 road rage incidents a day.
As a truck driver, he says he's seen car after car cut people off or act out.
"A lot of people are frustrated. You know, the lane is ending, you gotta merge. Nobody wants to sit. Nobody wants to wait. So, most of it has to do with patience," Peterson said.
But that patience has run thin for some drivers.
This week, Indiana State Police arrested an 18-year-old for attempted murder after an alleged shooting last week on I-70 westbound in Morgan County.
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A 22-year-old was arrested Wednesday for his accused role in a road rage shooting on I-70 in Mt. Comfort, which is in Hancock County.
Police also investigated a second interstate shooting Wednesday on I-65 northbound in Whitestown.
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A Wisconsin-based truck driver was passing through Indy and at some point, was shot in the head on the interstate. The victim is now in the hospital.
"For someone who spent a great deal of time on the road, that's very concerning," Bell said. "It only takes a split second to make a bad choice, and if they let their emotions get the best of them, it's going to happen. Somebody's going to get hurt or killed."
ISP says there were 55 interstate shootings for all of 2023, with simple gestures causing many of them.
“By break checking, flashing lights or giving a hand gesture, they’re not intending to initiate a shooting but if we can reduce these things, we strongly believe we can reduce the number of interstate shootings,” ISP Trooper Cameron Bottema said.
Trooper Bottema encourages all drivers to add cameras in their vehicle.
ISP says because these shootings can happen so fast, cameras in vehicles can help capture license plates and the color and model of vehicles.
