Overland Park police warns drivers of 30 percent jump in road rage

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. - Driving through a construction zone on Mission Road in Overland Park, Janice Davis was alarmed by what she saw in her rear-view mirror.

"He was about 10 inches away from my bumper," Davis said. "He thought I was going slow, but I was going the speed limit."

Davis began to panic.

"I was trying to avoid him, but he just kept following me," Davis said. "I don't want to cause any trouble or go to jail or get shot."

Davis pulled over, and the other driver kept going.

Her story is one of many. The Overland Park Police Department said reports of road rage have jumped 30 percent.

"Speeding, unsafe lane changes, following too closely, even on the shoulder they'll try to cut off people," Officer Gary Mason said. "This stuff happens all the time when you're driving down the road way."

Mason said if motorists encounter an aggressive driver, they should slow down and stay calm.

"Do whatever you can to not make eye contact with the person to make it any worse than it already its," Mason said.

Mason said there are websites setup specifically for frustrated drivers to visit and vent about what upset them.  He says releasing anger online is better than releasing anger on the roadway.