Image you're driving down the highway and you see someone coming up fast on your tail. There's not enough room to move out of the way, so you continue in your lane.
But this driver behind you wants you out of the way -- the headlights start flashing, fingers start flying and arms start waving.
What do you do?
"The first thing to do is remain calm," says Meg Kramer, founder of StreetSafe Driving Academy. Her company coaches drivers of all ages to take a more psychological approach when getting behind the wheel.
"We cannot just employ our physical skills…you have to take a much more strategic approach," Kramer said. "You have to be more aware."
Kramer says many people aren't aware of the aggressive or poor driving behaviors that can trigger road rage. StreetSafe hires police officers as coaches to give its students a more rounded view of the roads and the consequences to poor behaviors.
"Americans believe that we have a sense of anonymity behind the wheel," she said. "They'll push it a little further."
Weaving, tailgating, cutting people off, slamming on the breaks in traffic, verbal exchanges and obscene gestures are all triggers.
These faulty driving techniques are used everyday on roads all across the region. Aggressive drivers try to bully their way through the crowd and sometimes they turn dangerous.
John Yannarell was charged with attempted homicide after allegedly firing shots at a Pottstown woman for not moving out of his way Friday morning.
Fifty-six percent of deadly vehicle crashes were caused by one or more aggressive driving behaviors, a study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found.
So what should you do if you find yourself in a hairy situation on the roads?
Kramer says it's important to remain calm, avoid eye contact, physical and even facial gestures.
"Do not engage the other driver," she said.
Don't be afraid to call 911 and if you can, drive to a well-lit, crowded area and whatever you do, stay away from your home.
"Now they’ve got ya and now they know where you live," she said.
And road rage isn't just limited to people you'd expect, like those with short fuses. It can manifest in just about anyone.
Kramer says we need to start thinking about more than just what lane we're driving in, but also how our actions can affect others.
"Driving is not a right, it's privilege and you have to earn it."
