Road rage cases on the rise in Georgia, nationwide

CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. — Driving along roads in the metro Atlanta area has turned into conflict and violence for so many.

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A recent AAA study shows that this is a nationwide problem that became more prevalent at the start of the pandemic.

A woman told Channel 2′s Michele Newell she had to duck when a driver pulled a gun on her. The woman said she has no idea who that shooter was.

The victim Newell spoke with hopes police catch the man who shot at her car. The woman was so shaken up she wanted to remain anonymous.

“The bullet actually did pierce my vehicle luckily it didn’t come through the windshield,” she said. “I’ve never had anybody actually point a gun at me let alone really try to kill me.”

The road rage incident happened earlier this week while she was on her way home in Clayton County.

“He followed me for about five miles as we passed 675. I was starting to get over he went ahead and went around me and basically stopped me from being able to pass,” she said. “He slammed on brakes in the middle of the street, and when he slammed on brakes my water bottle went underneath my pedal.”

She couldn’t believe what she saw when she looked up.

“When I saw him pointing a gun, I ducked, and I was pretty much hoping not to get hit,” she said.

On the same day, Atlanta police responded to another shooting that resulted from road rage.

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In 2021, Channel 2 covered numerous cases of road rage that ended in violence.

Last month in Douglasville, police said a woman shot at a car, and one of the bullets went through a waffle house.

Newell contacted Georgia State Patrol to find out whether or not cases of road rage are increasing. Troopers said road rage seems to be more prevalent.

Garrett Townsend, spokesman for AAA Georgia, said AAA is noticing the same problem.

“We’re seeing the same trend in Georgia as far as the uprise in aggressive behavior, resulting in road rage,” he said.

It’s not just happening in Georgia. A recent AAA study shows just how big the problem is.

“Eight out of 10 drivers admitted to being involved in some type of aggressive behavior in the past 30 days,” Townsend said.

What should you do if you notice an aggressive driver?

“Make sure that you maintain an adequate following distance use your turn signals. Use high beams appropriately,” Townsend said.

So far there have been no arrests in these recent road rage cases, but the woman Newell spoke with said she saw security cameras in the area and she’s hoping they captured something.

The case in Atlanta is still under investigation, but police have a good description of the vehicle.

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The AAA study asked millions of drivers if they were guilty of certain aggressive driving habits in the last 30 days.

• 26% of drivers said they had aggressively switched lanes or tailgated someone.
• 32% said they made rude gestures at other drivers.
• 34% admitted to speeding up in order to stop someone from merging in front of them.

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