Although it seems like a lifetime ago, I remember this incident vividly.

I was driving home to Woodstock after a shift on the copy desk when I encountered an aggressive driver. The person in the other vehicle cut me off as we drove on Route 14 from Crystal Lake.

I must have had a rough shift, because I was in no mood for someone being rude to me on the road.

Without using one shred of sense, I decided that this person needed to be taught a lesson and that tailgating with my bright headlights on would do.

Mind you, it was after midnight, and I was a single woman on my way home. That this was one of the dumbest things I’ve ever done is not even up for debate. Yet here we were.

Luckily, at some point the danger I was putting myself in crossed my mind and I came to my senses. But what if the other driver had decided to return my road rage? Would I still be here? I have thought about this time and again for years.

That scenario came to mind once more when I saw a recent AAA study about road rage and aggression behind the wheel. Find the whole report here.

What the study found is that 96% of drivers admit to driving aggressively. I suppose this doesn’t surprise me because I’ve been guilty of this myself. Though not anytime recently. I learned my lesson.

What I also found interesting was that the new research from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that exposure to aggressive driving fuels more aggression behind the wheel.

Aggression is contagious. Those drivers who admitted to aggressive driving said they had run red lights, sped, tailgated, honked or cut off other vehicles during the past year.

It also discovered that the more drivers encounter hostility on the road, the more likely they are to respond in kind and escalate tensions behind the wheel.

That’s exactly what happened to me all those years ago. I’m not normally a “jerk” driver, but clearly the other person’s bad behavior made me lose it, if only for a few minutes.

So, if you think that you’re seeing more idiots on the road these days, perhaps you aren’t wrong. That study also said that since 2016, cutting off other vehicles is up 67% and honking out of anger is up 47%.

On the other hand, tailgating is down 24% and yelling at other drivers is down 17%.

I wonder if some of that has to do with the fact that tailgating and yelling are good ways to get hurt these days when road rage can be downright fatal.

How does one cope with all this bad behavior and manage to get from Point A to Point B safely?

AAA offers some advice.

“Good road etiquette and being courteous to other drivers are the most effective ways to reduce aggressive driving and road rage,” said Molly Hart, spokeswoman for AAA – The Auto Club Group. “Small gestures like using turn signals, letting others merge, and offering a friendly wave can go a long way in creating a calmer driving environment for everyone.”

When encountering an aggressive driver, motorists should do the following, according to AAA:

Stay calm: Avoid eye contact, gestures or responding.

Give space: Let them pass and keep your distance.

Protect yourself: Call 911 or go to a public place. Never drive home.

That last one is also a good reminder for anyone who believes they are being followed for any reason. Drive to a police station or somewhere else where you can get some help.

If you tend to be the one who reacts with road rage when you encounter idiots on the road, here’s some advice for you.

Breathe before you react: One deep breath can reset your drive.

Don’t take the bait: Ignore and avoid aggressive drivers.

Choose time over tension: Leave early and give space.

Sometimes we just can’t avoid someone who insists on being a jerk. I remember once traveling along Route 31 and having a motorist pass me and then slow down repeatedly in front of me. To this day, I have no idea what I did to set him off. However, employing some of these tips did get me home in one piece.

Let’s all be careful – and calm – out there!

• Joan Oliver is the former Northwest Herald assistant news editor. She has been associated with the Northwest Herald since 1990. She can be reached at jolivercolumn@gmail.com.