Road rage covers a multitude of hostile acts committed by angry or frustrated drivers, from deliberate tailgating to vehicular homicide. The prevalence of road rage has increased so much in the past decade that psychologists have actually classified it as a mental disorder. Many drivers who are prone to sudden emotional outbursts or inappropriate reactions are now said to suffer from intermittent explosive disorder. Not all incidents of road rage can be attributed to a mental disorder, however. Some experts believe drivers learn aggressive behavior from observing their parents and watching numerous examples of simulated road rage on television.

Even under the best of conditions, driving is a stressful activity. Experienced drivers develop coping mechanisms for the everyday driving errors of others, but there's always the possibility of a major accident lurking around the bend. Drivers also bear the responsibility of keeping other passengers safe during the commute. With all of these elements to consider, it is easy to see why some drivers may be especially anxious or defensive. If another driver does something wrong or reckless, the result can be the explosive and uncontrolled reaction we recognize as road rage.

One of the main concerns during a road rage incident is escalation. If another car cuts off an aggressive driver at an intersection, for example, the offended driver may shout expletives or blow his horn excessively. At this point, road rage could be avoided if the angry driver pulls over to calm down for a few minutes or accepts the incident as a minor disturbance. Instead, he or she may become even more outraged and decide to punish the other driver. When road rage escalates, a person's driving may become more erratic and reckless. The anger and frustration temporarily overrides good judgement and the driver becomes consumed with notions of vengeance or payback. Some extreme cases of road rage end with vehicular homicide, assault with a weapon, or other physical assaults.

Many driving schools teach students defensive driving techniques designed to reduce the number and severity of minor accidents. Some drivers mistake defensive driving with aggressive driving, which can lead to incidents of road rage. While anticipating accidents and driver error is a good practice, aggressive driving often stirs up powerful emotions within drivers. One of the best ways of avoiding road rage is to ratchet down aggressive maneuvers while driving. Passing a slow-moving car safely is one thing, but tailgating followed by an abrupt lane change and increased speed is a form of road rage. As a rule of thumb, drivers should avoid getting on the road while in highly emotional states.

Laws concerning road rage incidents vary widely from state to state. Many drivers who succumb to road rage can only be charged with minor traffic violations such as failure to signal or speeding. Depending on the events, some may be charged with more serious offenses such as reckless or aggressive driving. If there was damage to the other driver's vehicle or property, a civil suit could also be filed. Some states can actually charge a driver with the crime of road rage, although in extreme cases the charges might be vehicular homicide or attempted murder with a vehicle. Since road rage can be a short-lived event, the driver may not show signs of emotional impairment at the time of arrest.

Experts suggest the best way to deal with road rage is to recognize your level of anger and take steps to cool down before resuming your trip. Just stopping the car for a few minutes may be enough to prevent escalation. Some driving experts also suggest keeping a laminated sign reading SORRY on hand for occasional driving errors. Some recovering road ragers say that a simple apology or recognition of fault at the time of the original incident would have been enough to prevent violent escalation. Considering the number of deaths and injuries caused by road rage incidents every year, a simple sign of apology may be a good way to save lives and property.