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The simplest way that I have personally found to avoid giving in to road rage is to place a picture of my wife and daughter on my steering wheel. I envision that I have their lives at my fingertips while I am driving, whether or not they are in the vehicle, and this keeps me level headed. By focusing on what I might lose if I drive aggressively, or lose my composure, I am far more apt to avoid potential encounters.

When I first get into the car, I look at them and find myself at peace. As I venture down the highway to work, I have a clear vision of what is most important in my life, and a fantastic reason to not give in to road rage. My father always says to never let them see you sweat, which means to not let another person get the better of you. Remaining in control of yourself at all times is the key to avoiding road rage.

Road rage is usually symptomatic of an underlying problem, and it unfortunately comes to the surface at the wrong time, and for the wrong reasons. Road rage comes in many varieties, including prolonged honking at another motorist, following dangerously close in an attempt to rattle them, or to change lanes unsafely in front of them. These are all extremely catastrophic potentially, and must never be done.

Allowing other drivers the right to make a mistake shows compassion. We have all made mistakes, so we should try to acknowledge them when we do, so that another motorist will not be driven to road rage. This is easily enough done, considering a simple gesture can show that you know you were at fault, and are willing to admit the fault.

While driving, you should constantly be looking ahead, anticipating any upcoming turns and potential problems. If you need to be in the right lane to make your exit, be sure to be in the right lane well ahead of time, which will eliminate the need to cross lanes of traffic in an unsafe manner to other drivers.

If someone does find your error inexcusable, and wishes to let you know such, avoid making eye contact, or getting into a shouting match. Rude words and gestures are the impetus to many road troubles. Violence is never the answer to any problem, and either being the instigator or the victim of road rage is always avoidable.

When emotions that have been sequestered long enough, they fester, and that boiling point leads to an impromptu reaction while driving. Anger is only one letter away from danger, so therefore I go out of my way to ensure that I am calm and level headed before I drive. I make certain

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