You never want to get behind the wheel when you are angry. A driver with a bad attitude is one that can cause major problems on the road. Do you really want to find yourself in this category?

Many people find it hard to believe that dangerous driving can start with a poor attitude. Your state of mind has a lot to do with the decisions you make as you drive.

Here are five trains of thought that you can do without when driving:

1. Violent thoughts. You never know what is going to happen when you take your car on the road. You never know what the other driver is going to do. While you are going to be involved in “close calls” here and there, this does not give you an excuse to be violent. Don’t let the thought of revenge come to mind. If another driver makes a mistake, let it be and move on.

2. Being impatient and always in a rush. How many times do you find yourself saying, “get out of my way” as you drive down the road? Even if you are in a hurry, you cannot let this force you into making bad decisions. Rushing can increase your chance of an accident as well as a moving violation.

3. Stubborn attitude. You are not getting in front of my car! Why should I let you into my lane? Many people are stubborn on the roadways. For one reason or the next, they think they own the road.

This attitude can quickly lead to trouble. By law, you are supposed to share the road with other drivers as well as bicyclists and pedestrians. No matter what you say or do, you are not going to change the way that other drivers act.

4. Making your own rules. As silly as it sounds, some drivers don’t think they have to follow the rules of the road. For example, they “blow through” certain stop signs because they see no point in them.

Don’t take it upon yourself to rewrite the rules of the road. Instead, follow the laws as closely as possible to improve your safety.

5. Denial. Do you always find yourself blaming other drivers for your mistakes? You are going to make mistakes here and there – this is part of driving. There is no reason to play the blame game. If you make a mistake, such as cutting somebody off, give a polite wave and move on. There is no point in pushing your mistake onto somebody else. This is only going to cause more trouble.

5 Tips for a Better Attitude

There are things you can do to improve your attitude as a driver. Here are five:

• Listen to soothing music that will put your mind at ease (leave the heavy metal at home)
• Make a concerted effort to share the road with others
• Count to 10 and take a few deep breaths if you are disturbed by another driver
• Don’t let the driving of others effect your attitude (you can only control yourself)
• Avoid vulgar language and gestures at all costs