Is anger endangering your life? You are probably in greater danger than you realize.

According to AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, approximately 80% of U.S. drivers have expressed anger toward other drivers within the last year, ranging from showing annoyance through yelling or honking to purposefully ramming another vehicle.

What is most alarming is the number of drivers who endangered others as well as themselves and those in their car.

Of those who responded, 51% of the drivers (104 million people) said that they have purposefully tailgated because of their anger. Twelve percent (24 million people) cut off another vehicle on purpose, while 24% (49 million people) tried to block a vehicle from changing lanes.

All of those could lead to serious injury or death. The numbers are probably higher because many people under report, and some of those people likely engaged in such behavior regularly.

Last month, while in unfamiliar territory, we made a sudden, unexpected lane change so we could make our exit onto another interstate. Nobody was endangered, but another driver was seriously angered.

He pursued us for several miles, threatening to sideswipe us with his large pickup. When traffic permitted, we sped to get ahead, seeking protection in traffic, but he continued to pursue and bully us for several miles. Fortunately, we soon reached our exit, and he didn’t follow.

AAA published a brochure with helpful suggestions for how to avoid aggressive drivers. It gives defensive suggestions, to keep from escalating the anger when caught in a threatening situation.

To maintain safety, knowing how to avoid angering another driver is important, but I’d like to give a few tips for controlling our own anger in traffic. Even if we are in the 20% who don’t express anger toward others, most drivers are sometimes frustrated by people who go too slow, fail to put their blinker on, tailgate, or drive erratically while talking on the phone.

I’d venture to say that close to 100% of drivers experience irritation, whether they express it or not. That is significant to safety.

A recent study by Dr. Andrew Newberg, a neuroscientist at Thomas Jefferson University, and Mark Robert Waldman, a communication expert, revealed that the logic and reasoning center in the brain is hampered by thinking negative thoughts.

Consequently, an angry driver is less able to make quick judgments. Negative thoughts are enough to make him less safe.

Therefore, when irritation begins to rise, the quicker you deal with the negative thoughts, the safer you’ll be on the road, and the less likely you are to express it.

But how do you get rid of the anger?

Tips for overcoming anger while driving:

1. Release your rights. God’s Word never promises that things will go our way. Give up your right to get there in a hurry and your expectation that somebody won’t cut you off. Holding onto them is a sign of self-centeredness, and without those expectations, frustrations will decrease.
2. Gain perspective. Will the irritating infraction be remembered a week later? What about in a year, or ten? Will your frustration and anger change anything besides your disposition? Is it really worth getting upset over?
3. Put yourself in their shoes. The old lady going 40 in a 55 zone? Imagine that she can’t see well enough to go faster, but she couldn’t find anybody else to take her to the doctor. The young mother on the phone while driving 3 kids? Maybe she’s talking with her teen, who just had an accident. The young man riding your bumper could be late for an interview, because the babysitter was late. While they’re probably wrong, your reasons will help diffuse anger as you consider that the other driver may have a legitimate reason for being such an irritant.
4. Pray and praise. Ask God to help you release your rights—and get to your destination on time. Pray for the person that is irritating you. Talk with God and share your frustration. Thank Him for being bigger than the problem. Prayer takes our focus off the negative situation and turns it to God. The irritant becomes much less significant when we become aware of the sovereignty of God.

“He who is slow to anger has great understanding, But he who is quick-tempered exalts folly. A tranquil heart is life to the body, But passion is rottenness to the bones” (Prov. 14:29-30).

Reacting in anger hampers our ability to reasoning and leads to greater danger on the street. It is folly. Getting rid of anger, on the other hand, leads life and peace–even while surrounded by crazy drivers.

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Take the Anger Quiz to see how you stack up in the anger column.

Anger destroys lives and relationships. If you’ve struggled to overcome anger, you can find help, hope, and victory through studying God’s Word and applying His truths to your life. Uprooting Anger: Destroying the Monster Within reveals roots of anger as well as giving steps for pulling them out.

www.foxnews.com/health/2016/07/14/most-drivers-admit-angry-aggressive-behavior-or-road-rage.html

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2016/07/14/aaa-road-rage-survey/

http://abc27.com/2016/07/14/aaa-report-80-of-drivers-admit-to-anger-aggression-road-rage/