It's never a proud moment but it happens - someone cuts you off and your hand flies to the horn. Unfortunately, some people reach for a gun and deadly road rage is on the rise across the country.
A new study shows Phoenix is one of the worst cities.
“A guy's hitting into the back of me trying to kill me on the road,” said Fatima Tsouli, frantically speaking to a 9-1-1 dispatcher. In November of 2016, she was tormented for 25 minutes by an angry driver on the street of Scottsdale.
“He's flipping me off. He’s still swerving,” she yelled into the phone.
"That guy should never be allowed to drive again," Tsouli later told ABC15 in an interview about the situation.
At least Tsouli survived her brush with road rage. Others around the Valley haven’t been so lucky.
Gun violence watchdog “The Trace” compiled new numbers showing nine road rage shootings on Phoenix freeways in the last two years. Their website even has an interactive map showing all the incidents around the entire Valley.
One is a deadly incident that happened in Tempe. A fender bender escalated into the shooting of an ASU student.
“Those situations can get dangerous and even deadly very quickly,” said Michelle Donati-Grayman, spokesperson for AAA Arizona.
AAA tracks road rage. The group said tailgating is the number one thing that sets people off.
“We have the majority of people [who say] this is a serious threat to their safety. Yet the majority of driver's admit to doing it,” said Donati-Grayman.
Shockingly, AAA said one in 15 drivers admits to getting out of the car for a confrontation or even bumping and ramming another driver.
If road rage happens to you, Donati-Grayman said just stay calm.
“When another driver perhaps honks at you or displays aggression toward you don't take it personally. That can help deescalate the situation very quickly.
