HOUSTON — The road rage headlines are downright scary in Houston these days and the highways are starting to feel like the wild, wild west.
One driver makes a mistake, another drive gets angry and suddenly, bullets are flying.
In the past, that angry driver might have just honked and flipped them off.
Now, innocent people are being killed because someone with a short fuse had a gun in their vehicle.
Sunday night, two children were hurt when a gunman opened fire after cutting off the family’s vehicle on North Loop 610 near Shepherd. The 9-year-old girl was hit by a bullet or shrapnel and her 6-month-old baby brother was cut by flying glass. The gunman, described as a Black man with tattoos on his face and red streaks in his hair, got away in a 2-door red Acura.
On Friday night, 29-year-old Tyler Young was shot in the head and killed in front of his two young sons on I-10 East near Holland. The boys, ages 6 and 8, had to steer the vehicle off the freeway with their dying father at the wheel.
A week ago, 48-year-old Kevin Kirk was shot and killed after ATVs and dirt bikes surrounded his car on Westheimer. He’d gone to pick up dinner for his wife and two children.
"Kevin was an extraordinary man who baked amazing birthday cakes and was an Ironman Athlete and avid cyclist. He was also a protector of all life, including bugs," a gofundme.com page said.
“It is ugly and it’s getting uglier from what we’re seeing,” Assistant District Attorney Sean Teare told KHOU Investigates in May for a special report on the worst hot spots for road rage cases.
WATCH: Hot spots for road rage in Houston
There are ways to avoid becoming the target of an angry driver.
Experts say the majority of cases happen during the evening rush hour between 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. People are in a hurry to get home and traffic jams can make anyone cranky.
“At the end of their day, they’re tired. You know, they may have had a bad day at work,” HPD Commander Michael Collins said. “And again, the smallest thing can set them off.”
If you encounter an aggressive driver, experts say don’t respond.
“Don’t get drawn into it. Understand your surroundings, plan ahead because a lot of times road rage can stem just from frustration from the traffic in and out," HPD Executive Assistant Chief Larry Satterwhite advises.
More tips to avoid road rage
- Avoid eye contact
- Don't respond to aggression with aggression
- Avoid offensive hand gestures
- If they’re tailgating, don’t make them angrier by braking
- Let them pass
- Be patient and tolerant with others
- Don’t honk your horn
Most angry drivers will back off if you stay calm.
“They’ll look at you, and they may make an obscene last gesture. They may pull around your car, but nothing else happens,” said Tony Leal, retired Chief of the Texas Rangers. “When you try to outrun them, they come after you. But if you slow down, let them go around, they think they won. Let them think they won and go on about your day.”
If that doesn’t work and you’re on a highway, take the next exit. Try to lose them and if they still follow you, then call 911.
Road rage violence usually isn’t planned, according to Leal.
“It’s a very passionate crime. Something’s going on with that person,” he said.
If you’re a gun owner who angers easily, Leal suggests leaving the gun out of the car so you don’t do something stupid.
WATCH: Road rager throws hammer at another vehicle
