According to the American Safety Council, 66 percent of traffic accidents resulting in death are caused by aggressive driving.
Detroit is no stranger to road rage. In September, a driver in a crash on I-94 westbound near Brush told Michigan State Police another driver shot at him. The driver accused of firing those shots was eventually taken into custody.
Last January, a driver was caught on camera running over someone with his Ram truck in White Lake Township.
Dr. Steve Albrechtis a threat easement expert and believes there are multiple factors for why people can let anger get the best of them behind the wheel.
"One is the traffic another is the weather, whether it's too hot or too cold, but also a big sense of anonymity. When you feel anonymous behind the wheel, there are no consequences to what you do. You can do whatever you want, you can flip someone off or roll down the window and shout at them or drive aggressively,” said Dr. Albrecht.
He says road rage is not limited to any particular group of people.
"We see soccer moms doing it, we see people on motorcycles, we see older drivers doing it, younger drivers, there's no real demographic characteristic of a certain type of road rage person,” said Dr. Albrecht.
If you find yourself faced with an angry driver remember to not react or retaliate. Do not make eye contact and continue to drive safely to your destination.
If you feel yourself starting to get agitated, take a couple deep breaths. Think twice before you slam on the horn or give any obscene gestures. You never know what may set off the drivers in the cars around you.
Remember whether you are a victim or an instigator of road rage, focus on what matters most, getting home safely.
