Armed Road Rage: Topeka police chief asks for change in guns in car law

Thursday, November 7, 2013

Topeka police chief asks for change in guns in car law

In December 2012, Topeka, Kansas City Council members voted to allow people to carry loaded guns in their vehicles. Now the Topeka Police Chief is asking the Council to change the law.

"It was a let's try it and see what happens," said the police chief. "We tried it and saw that we were seeing some serious situations arise. It made us think maybe it isn't a good idea."

In one recent incident, a motorist pulled a gun on an off duty officer.

"The main issue is the weapon was in the car and the driver did not know the motorcyclist was a police officer," said the police chief. "Also because of the easy availability of the weapon by someone not ordinarily thought of as a criminal."

The chief would like to see the law changed to ban guns in cars with exceptions made for police officers, hunters, and people with concealed weapons permits.

1 comment:

AnonymousNovember 16, 2013 at 12:28 AM
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States have made it easier and easier for motorists to carry loaded guns in their vehicles. Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health asked the question, "Are motorists with guns in the car more or less likely to engage in hostile and aggressive behavior? The studies concluded that "riding with a firearm in the vehicle was a marker for aggressive and dangerous driver behavior."

(see Accident Analysis and Prevention, Nov. 2005, issue 38, pgs. 687-695 and 2002, issue 34, pgs. 807-814)

Authors Hemenway, Vriniotis, and Miller write, "Road rage may be most dangerous when an enraged motorists has immediate access to a lethal weapon, such as a gun. Our study finds that motorists who have ridden with firearms in their vehicles are more likely to make obscene gestures at other drivers and to follow other drivers aggressively. They are also more likely to be the victims of these behaviors. Contrary to common claims, it does not appear that 'an armed society is a polite society'."