Sangamon Sun

Illinois State Rep. Tim Butler (R-Springfield) recently spoke of his work with the House Transportation: Vehicles & Safety Committee and other groups to make the roadways safer.

"I'm honored to be the top Republican on the House Transportation: Vehicles & Safety Committee," Butler wrote in a June 22 Facebook post. "I have worked hard with the Illinois State Police, local law enforcement, and groups like ABATE of Illinois, Inc. on legislation to make our roadways safer. Our legislation which made it much tougher on drivers who violate the Illinois 'move over law,' Scott's Law, is a model for our Nation and I'm proud to have led the charge."

In his Facebook post, Rep. Tim Butler shared a story from the Geneseo Republic discussing increasing incidents of road rage so far this summer.

“Over the past year, we’ve seen an increase in reported road rage incidents escalating into violence,” Illinois State Police Director Brendan F. Kelly said, according to Geneseo Republic. “As we head into summer, high temperatures can lead to hot tempers and people losing their cool, even the dangerous or deadly use of firearms. Getting ahead or getting even with another drive is not worth the risk of a deadly crash or violence. Keep calm and stay alive.”

The ISP reports that roughly 35% of reported expressway shootings were related to road rage incidents, an increase of %12 from the previous year, according to NBC Chicago.

Authorities recommend that victims of road rage should ignore aggressive drivers and get to safety before calling authorities, according to WIFR News.