'Road rage' shootings seem to be up, state police say

I-90 in Chicago Photo credit Getty Images

(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — A rise in shootings on Chicago-area expressways has a commander with the Illinois State Police urging drivers to calm down and be more courteous.

Capt. David Keltner says just over one third of the 75 shootings on expressways in Cook County from the beginning of the year to the middle of this month were the result of road rage.

Many relatively minor incidents have quickly escalated into very dangerous ones, he said.

Keltner is urging people to avoid doing things that can anger other drivers, such as cutting them off or driving aggressively.

He's also urging people to keep calm if other drivers do something to annoy them. Motorists can’t be sure when the other driver might have a gun, he said.