JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – AAA reports that aggressive driving and road rage is on the rise across the nation, and their statistics show that rage on the roadways is one of the top concerns for many drivers.
Since Wednesday night's apparent road rage, shooting death of a Jacksonville man, Channel 4 has found answers for drivers who are looking to avoid anger on the roadways.
"I believe in the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office and I believe that they'll find him, whoever did it and honestly I'm not going to spend one moment thinking about the person who killed my husband," said Rebecca Schadowsky.
Schadowsky's husband Thomas was killed Wednesday night in what police believe was a road rage shooting. She says she's numb, trying to wrap her head around her new reality.
"Somebody killed my husband. Somebody killed the father of my child," said Schadowsky. "I'm begging anyone who knows anything to have the guts and the courage and the love to make a phone call."
The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety has offered some ideas to keep drivers safe in a road rage situation. The safety experts remind drivers to obey speed limits and traffic laws. They also recommend that drivers be cautious of others on the road and always expect the unexpected.
Lastly, AAA says keep to the right if you are a slower driver. This is something Channel 4 Crime Analyst and Safety Expert Ken Jefferson said will diffuse a violent situation before it ever gets started.
"Generally, what causes road rage is frustration. Frustration between two drivers," said Jefferson. "A typical example would be someone cutting the other driver off."
Jefferson said drivers who get cut off shouldn't make hand gestures at other motorists, he also recommended not to make eye contact or confront an upset motorist.
"If they invite you to the side of the road or they invite you to pullover, never ever engage them," said Jefferson. "They are not trying to entice you to get on the side of the road just to kindly talk to you. They want to confront you."
If you see an individual driving recklessly and have a cell phone, Jefferson recommends to call 911 immediately and give the dispatcher a description of the car and the license plate number.