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* ISP press release from a few weeks ago…
The Illinois State Police (ISP) is launching an educational, public awareness campaign focused on reducing incidents involving road rage. The new campaign, Road Rage. Don’t Engage. is designed to raise awareness about an increase in road rage incidents leading to violence, as well as educate the public on the signs of road rage and tips on how to prevent and handle these situations.
“Although road rage is nothing new, we’re seeing people react more aggressively and dangerously,” said ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly. “The message is simple – if you see or become part of a road rage situation, don’t engage. That extra car length you gain by cutting someone off, or arriving 10 seconds earlier by tailgating another person, is not worth your life.”
ISP developed a campaign to raise public awareness about road rage and the disturbing trend. The campaign consists of social media, including a social media toolkit, along with billboards and radio ads in strategic markets. ISP Safety Education Officers across the state will continue to educate the public on the dangers of road rage and how to deal with the dangerous behavior.
More information, including the social media ads can be found here.
The ISP says that while the number of interstate shootings was down more than 30 percent in 2023 compared to 2022, shootings involving road rage “have increased over the past two years.” Southern Illinois University helped produce the radio spots.
* The thirty-second radio ad running in Chicagoland is striking. A longtime subscriber reached out to me yesterday and asked if I’d heard it. I hadn’t, so I obtained a copy from the ISP.
The spot begins with the sound of gunshots and warns listeners that the other driver may have a gun…
[Sound of gunshots]
Announcer: Listen! Road rage is escalating on Chicago’s expressways. Road rage drivers are using guns to shoot at other drivers.
[Sound of screeching tires]
Driver: Stay in your lane! Come on, man!
Announcer: So when driving, be aware and stay calm. A driver with road rage may have a gun! And if you encounter road rage, don’t engage.
Sponsored by the Illinois State Police. Aired in cooperation with the Illinois Broadcasters Association and this station.
The 60-second ad is here.
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Jan 25, 24 @ 12:30 pm
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Sounds like Jim Leach, a little.
Comment by Give Us Barabbas Thursday, Jan 25, 24 @ 12:57 pm
Hard to grade in a vacuum. Did ISP run any radio ads telling gun owners how to comply with the assault weapons ban?
Has ISP ever run PSAs to tell people that leaving their guns at home ensures a moment of anger doesn’t turn into a life sentence of regret?
Comment by Stephanie Kollmann Thursday, Jan 25, 24 @ 1:03 pm
I’d give the accompanying graphics on the website an F.
https://isp.illinois.gov/TrafficSafety/RoadRage
“be afraid because everyone out there is armed” is great messaging if you’re trying to sell more guns and make people less safe, though
Comment by Stephanie Kollmann Thursday, Jan 25, 24 @ 1:12 pm
Heard this last night in an Uber with another Capitol Creature. It certainly got our attention after we busted out laughing. It’s a bit aggressive.
Comment by Best Side Thursday, Jan 25, 24 @ 1:13 pm
Is the driver role played by Steve Buscemi?
Comment by Frida's boss Thursday, Jan 25, 24 @ 1:16 pm
America is armed and dangerous…got it.
Comment by Dotnonymous x Thursday, Jan 25, 24 @ 1:35 pm
I agree with Stephanie Kollman.
Instead of the ISP telling me to hide under a bed or start packing heat while I drive, I want to know what the ISP is doing to step up enforcement.
Road rage stems from aggressive, reckless drivers being mad that someone got in their way. Much more often than guns, they use their vehicles as deadly weapons.
Yielding to reckless, aggressive drivers just encourages more reckless, aggressive behavior.
How many times have we all seen someone zooming down the expressway at 100 mph and then tailgate/honk at the person in the right lane for “only” going 75 instead of just passing on the right.
We need to start treating these reckless and aggressive drivers with the same seriousness we treat DUI’s. They are mentally impaired, and just as dangerous without a gun.
Comment by Thomas Paine Thursday, Jan 25, 24 @ 1:39 pm
Horrible ad, I give it a F. The first time I thought of after hearing it, I better be packing if I am driving in Chicago.
Comment by Mike Murphy Thursday, Jan 25, 24 @ 1:51 pm
“The Illinois State Police encourages all drivers to live in fear.”
Combating road rage is an important effort but the delivery method for the message here just seems way, way off. Opening an ad with gunshots has the same effect as an ad that subjects you to the full-volume grating beep of a clock radio alarm - a jump scare that makes you either ignore or resent the message that follows.
Strange timing for the message, as well, given the significant drop in Chicago expressway shootings from 2022 to 2023. Is this part of a national effort or something?
Comment by Roadrager Thursday, Jan 25, 24 @ 2:06 pm
My wife has been telling me the exact same thing for many years! I’ve started to listen to her lately.
Comment by Shevek Thursday, Jan 25, 24 @ 4:47 pm
I’d say good message, bad messaging. It sounds very similar to the Scott’s Law TV ad (jumpy, aggressive, someone yelling). I don’t know if they are doing these in-house or hired an outside company, but I’d like to see them take a different approach because the messages are important. I suppose they want “shock” value, but I just feel yelled at and annoyed.
Comment by Leslie K Thursday, Jan 25, 24 @ 8:00 pm