Aggressive driving concerns on the rise in Southwest Florida

The arrest of a man who, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office said, killed a motorcyclist after crashing into him on purpose is raising concerns over aggressive driving in Southwest Florida.

Back in September, a driver crashed into a man on a motorcycle on Interstate 75 near Corkscrew Road, killing the rider, 20-year-old Jona Brown.

After the collision, the man in the car, Amed Rodriguez Suarez, drove off.

• RELATED: Fatal crash leaves motorcyclist dead on I-75 in Estero

“I do find on I-75, around this area, that the speeding is pretty intense,” said Emily Kooistra, a driver, “a lot of weaving in and out and a little bit more dangerous than Atlanta.”

Emerson Driving School instructor Jay Anderson said that since 2020, there’s been a rise in cases of vehicular homicide.

“This occurred after COVID. People’s mentality when they’re behind the wheel now is that ‘I’m entitled,’ for a lack of better description,” said Anderson, “and remember, people drive like they live.”

Anderson said he now works to teach drivers how to be responsible on the road.

“I refer to roads as plumbing for cars,” said Anderson. “When you put too much stuff in the drain, it backs up. Put too many cars on the road, they back up. Then people become impatient, right? That’s where that road rage and aggression sets in.”

According to Anderson, the best advice he gives his students to avoid becoming another statistic is the acronym FIDO, short for Forget it, Drive On.

“If you don’t engage the other driver, typically, they will not engage you. That’s the best advice I can give,” said Anderson.