"I don't believe you just cut me off!!!" It happens every day on the road. Another driver makes a sudden move, putting you and your passengers in danger and leaving you fuming behind the wheel. Or perhaps you got careless and forgot to signal another driver. Either way, incidents of road rage are on the rise and have been responsible for hundreds of road fatalities in the United States. Road rage is not about anger, but fear and our reactions as drivers can stem from our own daily stresses.

Temper Tantrums on Wheels
Experiencing Road Rage Head On

By Eboni Hogan

"You just cut me off!!!"

She was driving a pick up truck that looked like it had seen better days. Maybe in, like, 1945. She leaned towards the rear view mirror holding the wheel with one hand while applying lipstick with the other. And without signaling her intentions, she cut right in front of me at the exit ramp of the highway.

"How's about putting on a blinker, Einstein!!!?"

I was having my first (and last) bout of road rage. I leaned on my horn for what was probably a full minute while screaming things out the window that my mother would not be particularly proud of.

Road rage often occurs when one driver feels that another driver is not following the rules of the road thus putting their life in danger. Experts say that road rage is less about anger and more about fear. When the woman cut me off on the highway, there was a half a second of pure panic where I prepared myself to slam head first into the back of her rusty old Toyota. I was not experienced enough as a driver to know that I had plenty of time to brake safely before any collision occurring but my "New Driver" sensibilities told me that she could have caused me harm and I needed to make sure she knew it.

Many drivers tend to act irrationally behind the wheel because they realize that they often cannot be seen or recognized. But unchecked, road rage can have fatal consequences. In 1997 the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) realized that they had a real problem on their hands when statistics showed that of 41,000 traffic related fatalities that year, two-thirds of those deaths could be linked to episodes of road rage.

Sitting behind the wheel of a car is not the time to take out your pent up aggressions after having a rough day at school or a fight with your best friend. Yet most road rage stems from our own daily stresses. If you are experiencing symptoms of road rage or are the target of road rage, try simply taking a few deep breaths or pulling over to a safe place to clear your mind before returning to the road.

It's easier to think of it this way. There is no such thing as a perfect driver. It is important to learn to be courteous towards other drivers and understand that mistakes do happen. You can help prevent yourself from being the target of someone else's fury by remembering a few simple things:

1. Always signal other drivers
2. Allow aggressive drivers to pass you so they don't feel the need to tailgate (and also remember not to follow too closely yourself)
3. Be aware of your high beams to ensure that they are not blinding other drivers
4. Be particularly courteous in parking lots as this is where many road rage incidents occur

It sounds basic, but we sometimes forget that we are not on the road alone. Respect other drivers just as you hope to be respected and hopefully we can make the roads safer. Even for Miss Lipstick in the rusty pick up truck.