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(NAPSI)-The odds of encountering road rage may be higher than you think.
According to a recent survey by Farmers Insurance Group, more than 10 percent of drivers admit they have intentionally cut off other drivers or have wanted to force them off the road during the past year. Fortunately, there are are ways drivers can avoid becoming victims of such dangerous driving habits.
Aggressive driving such as speeding, tailgating, unsafe lane changes, failing to signal intent to change lanes or other forms of negligent or inconsiderate driving often escalate into what has commonly become known as road rage.
Road rage is defined as an assault with a motor vehicle or other dangerous weapon by the operator or passenger(s) of one motor vehicle on the operator or passenger(s) of another motor vehicle, or is caused by an incident that occurred on a roadway and is considered a criminal offense.
According to the survey, most road rage occurs among younger drivers. Nearly half (48 percent) of respondents who said they had shouted or gotten into a honking match with another driver were in the 18 to 34 age group, which also ranked highest among those who said they had cut off another driver or felt like forcing them off the road (16.5 percent).
Farmers recommends the following tactics to avoid becoming a victim of road rage.
• Always use your indicators when changing lanes or merging.
• Be courteous. If another driver is signaling to change into your lane ahead of you, let him.
• Ignore drivers who make angry gestures at you. Separate yourself from them if possible.
• If a vehicle is tailgating yours, attempt to change lanes and let it pass.
• If you are being followed, drive to a nearby crowded public place and call for help or drive to a nearby police station. You can also alert police via a cell phone.
• Never provoke another driver.
"Highway safety officials say that aggressive driving and road rage are very similar to impaired driving," said Jeff Beyer, senior vice president for Farmers Insurance Group. "Motorists should try to distance themselves and their passengers from these perpetrators quickly, but safely."
For more information about Farmers, visit www.farmers.com.