Rude drivers tend to bring up feelings of anger and frustration more than drivers who perform dangerous maneuvers according to an interesting study conducted by the Queensland University of Technology in Australia. The study followed 209 drivers in Queensland for a week and the drivers were asked to record negative events that they experienced while driving.

Most drivers reported rude behavior on the part of other drivers as being more upsetting than dangerous driving behaviors. Some drivers reported retaliating against the rude driver by use of the horn or hand gestures. Others decided that retaliation of any sort only brought them down to the same level as the rude driver.

Although the study was designed to study thought processes and not safe driving practices, there’s probably little doubt that those drivers who chose not to retaliate were among the safer drivers in the group. It’s not easy to fight the urge to retaliate in some way when someone is rude but those who forget it and drive on are taking the safest approach. Retaliating in some way could possibly trigger a road rage situation.

Driver courtesy is a practice that isn’t seen much anymore but, to survive on the roads, it’s a critical skill to develop. Perhaps the hardest skill to develop is to act courteously to other drivers even when that courtesy isn’t returned. Practicing that skill on today’s roads is becoming more critical to driver safety. Read more: Driver Etiquette More Important To Road Users Than Safe Driving