There may be some truth to the claim that 'Jeepers Creepers: The True Story' has real - life roots. However, the extent of that truth is murky. It could be that local legends or actual incidents of people feeling a sense of unease in certain locations were the starting point. But the final product we see in the movie is a highly fictionalized account. The movie's creators used the idea of a possible real - life mystery as a springboard to create a horror franchise that has captured the imaginations of horror fans all over the world.
It's hard to say for sure. There are claims that it is based on true events, but it's likely that the movie took some very loose inspiration from real - life happenings. For example, there could have been stories of strange figures seen in the countryside or people going missing under mysterious circumstances. But the movie then exaggerates and adds a lot of fictional elements like the specific look and abilities of the 'Creeper' to make it a more engaging horror story.