INDIANAPOLIS — A teen driver is in the hospital after being injured by gunfire Sunday afternoon on Interstate 465.
State police say no arrests have been made yet, but they say this is part of a troubling trend of road rage shootings on Indiana highways.
In fact, some driver's education instructors are now essentially teaching students how not to get shot on the road.
Hoosier highways lately feel like the wild west, with police reporting a dangerous spike in weapons behind the wheel.
"It's terrifying to think that you could be driving along the interstate and make a mistake like we all do and it becomes a death sentence," said Indiana State Police Sgt. John Perrine.
ISP is tracking the troubling trend with a map at the post. Flags represent road rage involving guns on Indianapolis-area interstates.
Already this year, ISP says there have been 23 incidents of someone firing a gun on the highway, plus another 77 cases where someone waved or pointed a gun.
One terrifying scene on I-465 was recently caught on dash cam. A man stood up and out of a car's sunroof, waving a weapon, pointing it at a female driver.
Then on Sunday afternoon, someone shot a 19-year-old on I-465. Police say it was a case of road rage, while merging from Brookville Road.
State police say someone yelled and swerved at the teen driver, then fired multiple shots hitting and hurting him. The teen will survive, but it's part of an alarming trend.
"What used to be the honk of a horn or a hand gesture is now leading to more violence," Perrine said.
It's why now, even driver's ed instructors are teaching new tactics to save lives.
13News talked with two driving schools that are including tips for avoiding dangerous road rage in their classes.
"Things they can do... to kind of avoid becoming a victim of road rage," said Tina Nicolazzi, president of AA Indiana Driving School, "because it's getting worse."
Her advice?
Namely don't honk your horn. Don't even use it, unless it's an emergency or to alert someone if they're about to hit you. Never honk because they cut you off or made a driving mistake.
"You're just letting them know you're angry and so if they're already in an agitated state, now you've exacerbated the situation which now it can lead to a road rage incident," Nicolazzi said.
She said, also, don't tailgate. Don't brake check if you're being tailgated. Don't drive slow in the left lane and always use your turn signal.
If a driver does get angry, give them space and get out of there.
"Don't make hand gestures, don't throw up your hands," Nicolazzi recommended. "Don't do anything to show any type of aggression. Just get away from them. That's what I teach the kids: It's not your job to teach that person a lesson. It's your job to protect yourself."
Because lately on the road? The risk is rising that someone will pull a gun.