As we all hear in the media, we are leading busier lives, working longer and harder. As a result we are inevitably becoming less patient on road journeys. This often means taking more risks, driving too fast and generally failing to behave on the road!

Road Rage is a term given to a psychological state people encounter while driving. Although it has only been heard of in recent years Road Rage has been in existence more or less since the car was invented.

Road Rage can start if one driver does something to irritate another.

Road Rage involves drivers acting aggressively, typically tailgating and waving a few selected hand gestures. That’s thankfully where most incidents end! However, sometimes things can get nasty and drivers will try to ram other cars. Occasionally, as we have seen in the media, Road Rage (although very rare) can have fatal consequences so beware.

Aggressive driving and road rage are different behaviors, but are linked. Though both result in dangerous behaviors, the key difference is in their intentions. Aggressive drivers are careless drivers who want to get ahead of everyone on the road despite the toll it takes on others. Other drivers may develop road rage, potentially violent anger, in response and retaliation to the violations they feel other drivers commit. Aggressive drivers are not necessarily angry, though a person can be both an aggressive and angry driver. This combination will lead to the most extreme and dangerous cases of road rage violence.

So how do we deal with road rage as drivers everyday? And how can a road rager change their actions? The solution lies all in the mind, completely within our own control. How we deal with anger on the road depends on how we let our emotions get to us, how personally we take what other drivers are doing, and how well we handle our anger and frustrations.

Symptom of immaturity

Road rage is a symptom of immaturity demonstrated by  inability to deal with your own anger.

A road rager feels a certain degree of superiority over all other drivers on the road. They feel it is their duty to punish bad drivers and teach them "lessons."

Something as simple as being accidentally cut in front of may set them off. In worst cases, a road rager may go over the edge to express their great rage and make a point. They can begin with screaming and making hand gestures, to more violent and criminal offenses such as confronting other drivers physically, and threatening violence or assault with a weapon. They may get out of their car, want other drivers to pull over to be confronted, or even begin to follow. Essentially, a road rager will engage in the same dangerous aggressive behavior that initially made them so enraged, just to get their point across. Their behavior is equally selfish, immature, and dangerous.

Not just teens

Road rage isn't something only young people on the edge with serious anger management problems may be prone to. All of us are, if you catch us on the wrong day or in the wrong mood. At one point or another, we may find ourselves speeding up to tailgate a driver we feel is going too slow in the fast lane, or flashing our headlights and honking excessively at someone who has cut us off. Chances are at some point or other we've made hand gestures at rude drivers, cursed them off from the safety of our own vehicle, or stepped on our brakes when we feel a driver behind us is tailgating unnecessarily. Though not as extreme as physical violence, these too are all potentially dangerous road rage behaviors. Though some are more dangerous than others, what we have to keep in mind is that other people on the road may be angry too, and their behavior is unpredictable. You don't want to mess with other drivers and make them even angrier and have the situation escalate further.

Over reaction to another motorists poor driving or lack of consideration

Aggressive driving is essentially inconsiderate, selfish, negligent driving in which a person may commit several traffic offenses such as tailgating, speeding, failure to use turn signal for lane changes, and recklessly weaving in and out of traffic. An aggressive driver may be in a rush to get to work, and a reckless driver may be distracted and talking on their cell phone, but no matter the case the driver somehow puts their own convenience before anyone else's safety. Often aggressive and reckless driving results in many close calls, which the drivers then speed away from obliviously. Such behavior has a chain effect; accidents then cause more traffic, which makes it more likely for a second accident to occur.

Waste of emotional energy

Acting out frustrations through vehicle

Road rage is a felonious criminal assault of one driver or passenger of a motor vehicle on another driver or passenger of a motor vehicle using either a weapon or the vehicle to inflict serious injury or death. There are approximately 200 road rage fatalities per year.

Anonymity of driver

Finally, the anonymity and security of having a ton of steel between us and the outside world can embolden even the usually timid driver and remove the inhibitions one might normally feel about aggressive or inappropriate behavior.

Effects on other motorists

Aggressive drivers lack a concern or awareness of the safety of other drivers on the road and are usually oblivious of how dangerous their driving is.

There is no excuse for aggressive driving and it is truly one of the major dangers on the road. Be a courteous driver. Someone is much more likely to treat you courteously if you are courteous. Think of the damage that could or might be done to other drivers if you get someone outraged because of your neglectful driving. Car-pool whenever possible. We all tend to act kinder to others when we are in the presence of other people.

Tailgating

Anticipating rude or angry drivers

The truth is that no matter where you go, no matter how safe, careful, and considerate a driver you are, there is going to be someone on the road who is not. They're going to challenge all the patience you have built up, possibly putting your life at risk. Traffic and congestion on the roads itself is an inevitable force which often can aid in building up our frustration and putting us on the edge to start with, making us more likely to direct our anger at other drivers.

You should always anticipate and be prepared to  deal with rude or angry drivers. Start with selecting less congest roads, avoid driving during rush hours, 

Negative response to inattentive or slow drivers

Do not get angry if you see inattentive or slow driver. The slow driver might be lost.  May be the driver is a tourist visiting your city;  it is always difficult to find your way around in a new city. May be this driver is a disoriented elderly person. Think  about your grand parents, would you want them to be harass by impatient driver.

Lane changes and "cutting off" other motorists

Keeping out of the way of speeders

It is a good defensive driving practice to change lanes when being approached by fast moving vehicle. You will minimize possibility of road rage if you keep out of the way of speeders.

How you driver reflects who you are

Your driving style reflects who you are. When you drive in careless and aggressive manner , you simply present to other people your aggressive and irresponsible nature.

Don't let others control your emotions

Don't see an aggressive driver's behavior as a personal assault. Bad or dangerous drivers aren't targeting you personally; they're unleashing their frustration or bad mood on the rest of the world at random.

Don't'  allow your mood to be dictated by the acts of an unpleasant and discourteous stranger.

Work on being able to just "let go" of angry feelings in traffic with the goal of maintaining inner peace and serenity. After all, your mood and the quality of your day are more important than a brief moment of revenge.

Recognize that mistakes occur. You've likely made driving mistakes at some time, and the other driver who acts aggressively may have just made a mistake.

Put on some soothing music or stop and take a break if your emotions get out of control. A stressed-out driver is potentially an unsafe driver. Give yourself time to cool down and preserve everyone's safety.

Realize that you are not the police - it is not your job or responsibility to penalize those who break traffic rules. Set a positive example for others.

B. STATISTICS

Road rage on rise

More and more people are letting their emotions get the best of them. One recent report states that during the first six years of the 1990’s, over 10,000 incidents of road rage were reported. People zigzagging in and out of traffic, someone cutting someone else off, and tailgating for long distances can lead to collisions, disputes, and even death. Impatience is one of the prime causes leading to risk-taking, discourteous driving and disputes. Being more patient behind the wheel will go a long way to keeping you out of the reach of road rage.

Here are some important facts:

• Road rage is up to 50% since 1990

• More people carrying weapons

• More vehicles sharing the road which causes more tension and higher likelihood of highway rage

Men vs. women, equal offenders of road rage

Both victims and perpetrators of road rage are most likely to be young males, but road rage occurs across all ages and genders. It is most common in urban areas where overcrowding of roadways is greatest. Up to 90% of people report having been the victim of an aggressive act by another driver, and over half admit to having acted aggressively themselves.

Road rage number one problem following drunk drivers

Statistics show that road rage incidents become more common and as dangerous in outcome as drunk driving.