Buffalo, NY (WBEN) As New York State Police investigate a road rage shooting last week, AAA of Western and Central New York says avoiding road rage can be as simple as not responding to aggression with aggression.
Last week, state police arrested Ervin B. Stubbs, 34 of Ocala, FL for shooting another driver from Detroit along the New York State Thruway. Troopers say the victim pulled off at the Fredonia/Dunkirk exit with a gunshot wound to the knee. The victim will recover, say troopers.
AAA's Elizabeth Carey says she's seen a lot more people speeding and that's leading to fatal crashes. "Part of that is road rage, and people are anxious to get somewhere," explains Carey. She says speed related fatal crashes accounted for 34 percent of all fatal crashes in 2021.
Another factor, Carey says, if often in the palm of your hand. "People saying that they're using their phone ... they're distracted on the road, and then ... someone's following too closely behind them, and people speeding down the road," notes Carey, all leading to road rage.
Carey says the best way to avoid road rage is simple. "Don't respond to aggression with aggression," says Carey. "If someone's confronting you, try to let it go. If you feel like you're really at risk ... drive to a place like a police station. If you're on the highway and you're confronted, just stay calm and stay courteous, and eventually they will move on," But if you're the offending driver, Carey says, you don't know what could happen now so the same advice applies. "Don't make any gestures, don't try and race them down the road," advises Carey.
If you need to, call 911 to get help.
