Report: Nearly 80 percent of Americans show some form of road rage

If you tend to get frustrated or angry on the roadways from time to time, you are most certainly not alone.

A new report from AAA said 78 percent of drivers have expressed some form of road rage in the past year.

The most common form of road rage is intentionally tailgating someone, followed by yelling at another driver and honking your horn. For many on the roadways, even the little things can be aggravating, according to Dr. Terry Simpson.

“Imagine how aggravated you feel when you’re trying to turn in a left turn lane, and the person in front of you isn’t paying attention,” Simpson said.

Simpson said it can be even worse when you’re in a hurry. That is why he suggests giving yourself 10 to 15 minutes of extra time to get where you’re going.

“When you are on a tight schedule, you are going to be far more aggravated at what people do [on the road],” Simpson said.

Another suggestion if someone cuts you off or upsets you on the roadway is to picture them as a friend or a relative.

“You’ll probably treat them with more courteousness or respect,” Simpson said.

Dr. Joel Dvoskin, a clinical psychologist, said it’s important not to act on the anger you might feel towards another driver.

“If your response to a bad driver is to be a worse driver, then you’re a bad driver,” Dvoskin said. “If you cause an accident by your aggressive driving, you’re probably not going to kill the person that you’re mad at, you’re probably going to kill an innocent family that’s in another car on the road. Maybe if people would think about that they’d act a little better on the highways.”

The report also said male and younger drivers ages 19-39 were much more likely to engage in aggressive behaviors on the roadways. In addition, drivers in the northeastern United States were more likely to yell, honk or make a gesture than other drivers in the country.