Nearly 80 percent of North Carolina drivers experience extreme road rage while driving, according to a new study released by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety on Friday.

The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety is a non-profit, publicly supported research and educational organization with a mission to discover the causes of car crashes and prevent and minimize injuries.

From 2011 to 2015 when the study took place, North Carolina had 55,000 crashes that resulted from erratic, reckless, careless and negligent behavior, 38,000 injuries and 1,401 fatalities from those accidents.

“North Carolina’s statistics are staggering, far too many drivers are transforming minor frustrations into rage and aggression,” said AAA Carolina’s Foundation for Traffic Safety President Tiffany Wright.

North Carolina isn’t the only state where these rates are overwhelming.

According to the study, drivers living in the Northeast were nearly 30 percent more likely to yell, honk or gesture angrily to other drivers than people living in other parts of the country.

The study also found that male and younger drivers aged 19-39 were significantly more likely to engage in extreme road rage, such as purposefully ramming other vehicles or exiting the car to confront other drivers.

Drivers who reported engaging in unsafe driving behaviors, like speeding and running red lights, were also more likely to report showing road rage.

“Remember not to let these frustrations turn dangerous; always remain calm in order to reach your destination safely,” Wright advised to the eight million U.S. drivers who reported experiencing extreme road rage.

The AAA Foundation suggests that drivers not be forceful on the road, to remember to be tolerant and forgiving and to avoid eye contact and making gestures to other drivers.

The full report along with more information can be found on the AAA Foundation’s website.

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