ARIZONA NEWS

Number of potential road rage incidents climbing in Arizona

Oct 21, 2021, 7:00 PM | Updated: 7:18 pm

(Twitter Photo/Phoenix Police Department)...

(Twitter Photo/Phoenix Police Department)

(Twitter Photo/Phoenix Police Department)

PHOENIX — Alberto Gutier, director of the Arizona Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, is frightened by a recent uptick in road rage incidents this week.

Just on Wednesday, there were possible road rage shootings in Glendale and Peoria.

Thursday morning, there was another shooting after a verbal confrontation between occupants in two vehicles in Peoria. The victim in the most recent case was taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries, officials say.

“I’ve never seen three or four in a row in that kind of period, which scares me,” Gutier said. “It could be what I call copycats. It also could be just the time we live in right now. There is less traffic on the roads, supposedly, but still people are driving very fast. Everybody’s in a hurry, and those are the kind of things that lead to some kind of road rage incident.”

Four years ago, ADOT started recording possible road rage incidents, according to Gutier .

In 2018, there were 267 such situations. That number went up to 522 in 2019 and then back down to 503 last year, according to Gutier.

This year, there have been over 460 incidents, according to Gutier, which is on pace to eclipse each of the previous three years.

“I’m concerned and hope that we don’t surpass that number because that is a shame, and this could be very dangerous for citizens,” Gutier said.

Gutier advises de-escalation or walking away from a tense moment.

That entails getting off the highway or moving over to let someone else pass to avoid confrontation.

He said in serious cases people should involve police officers, but most of the time an incident can be avoided.

KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Ali Vetnar and Debra Dale contributed to this report.

We want to hear from you.

Have a story idea or tip? Pass it along to the KTAR News team here.

Arizona News

(Pexels Photo)...

KTAR.com

Man who fell into tracks dead after being struck by train in Phoenix

A man was pronounced dead after being struck by a train following a fall on to the tracks in Phoenix on Sunday evening.

5 hours ago

(Photo by Olivier Touron/AFP via Getty Images)...

Associated Press

Judge affirms Arizona can no longer exclude gender-affirming care from state health plans

A federal judge has approved a final settlement eliminating a ban on providing gender-affirming care under Arizona state employee health insurance.

8 hours ago

Maricopa County Sheriff Paul Penzone...

Brandon Gray

Maricopa County Sheriff Paul Penzone announces he will not pursue 3rd term

Maricopa County Sheriff Paul Penzone announced Monday he is not pursuing a third term and will be departing the office in January 2024.

9 hours ago

(Facebook Photo/Arizona Lottery)...

KTAR.com

Fantasy 5 jackpot ticket sold in Phoenix as Powerball prize exceeds $1B

It didn't take long for another Fantasy 5 jackpot to hit in Phoenix and lottery players could hit it big with the Powerball drawing on Monday night.

10 hours ago

Joe Perry, left, and Steven Tyler of Aerosmith perform Sept. 2, 2023, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania...

Kevin Stone

Aerosmith postpones Phoenix concert because of Steven Tyler’s vocal cord injury

First the Boss, now Steven Tyler. Add Aerosmith to the list of classic rockers forced to postpone their Phoenix concerts because of health issues.

11 hours ago

gavel hitting wood...

KTAR.com

Scottsdale man sentenced to prison for not paying employee taxes

A Scottsdale man was sentenced last week to over a year in prison for failing to pay the Internal Revenue Service federal income taxes that were withheld from employees.

12 hours ago

Sponsored Articles

...

DAY & NIGHT AIR CONDITIONING, HEATING AND PLUMBING

Importance of AC maintenance after Arizona’s excruciating heat wave

An air conditioning unit in Phoenix is vital to living a comfortable life inside, away from triple-digit heat.

Home moving relocation in Arizona 2023...

BMS Moving

Tips for making your move in Arizona easier

If you're moving to a new home in Arizona, use this to-do list to alleviate some stress and ensure a smoother transition to your new home.

...

Ignite Digital

How to unlock the power of digital marketing for Phoenix businesses

All businesses around the Valley hopes to maximize their ROI with current customers and secure a greater market share in the digital sphere.

Number of potential road rage incidents climbing in Arizona