Road rage is something that we all have to deal with at some point in our lives. Whether we are driving a car behind someone who is going to slow or are upset by something that has happened in our personal lives or at work, we need to learn how to more efficiently manage our emotions while we are behind the wheel of a car.

One of the main causes or reasons that people enter into a state of road rage has to do with how well they are handling things emotionally. Getting upset at the person in front of you because they are actually doing the speed limit is something that is emotionally based. You can control whether or not you are going to get upset, which is why (in large part) road rage and outbursts that are similar in manner are highly controllable. So, what are some ways in which you can learn to temper your road rage outbursts? For starters, if you ever find yourself stuck in traffic or in a situation where you feel your blood pressure rising, take deep breaths and count out loud if you have to. Taking deep breaths helps you to slow your breathing down; and studies show that the more you slow your breathing down, the more relaxed you become. Additionally, when you take deep breaths, you are actually distracting yourself from whatever it is that is bothering you. For some, this is not really a "distraction" so much as it is they are re-channeling their energy.

Believe it or not, a lot of road rage stems from having a lack of control over other things. You are stuck in traffic and you're not sure what is causing it. Therefore, you want traffic to move because you want to get home or you simply don't want to be enclosed in a small space surrounded by other people who, in your opinion, "can't drive". You want to get back at that other driver who just cut you off twice and who is still weaving in and out of traffic. There are all sorts of situations and scenarios in which we find ourselves not in control. Isn't it a relief then to know that while we may not be able to control other people's actions, we can most certainly control our reactions to them?

The type of reaction that we have to other people around us will often help to determine what kind of a driver we will become in those next few minutes or hours. Similarly, if we can learn to harness the negative energy that hovers around us when we experience road rage, then we can begin to more effectively combat it, which will make us better motorists in the long run. Remembering that road rage doesn't have to control your life is key in trying to overcome it. Conversely, if you find yourself in a situation in which you are directly dealing with another driver who is exhibiting signs of road rage, change lanes to allow them pass or if the situation warrants it, phone the local police or highway patrol and give the dispatcher the make, model and license plate of the vehicle as well as your location.