THE change which comes over some people when they get behind the wheel of a car is unbelievable.

Good manners, politeness, courtesy and, above all, patience, disappear once they settle into their seats, grip the wheel and the red mists descend.

Those who feel the urge to overtake at almost any cost, or squeeze into that gap in front, would not dream of doing the same if they were out walking on the streets.

Aggressive driving is now the most common way of driving, researchers say, citing evidence that almost 90 per cent of British motorists have experienced threats or abuse from other drivers.

The number of incidents where road rage has turned to violence, and even death, has mushroomed in recent years.

DJ Philip Pryor is just one driver who has suffered at the hands of a maniac behind the wheel. His terrifying ordeal - being forced off the motorway, assaulted and then left stranded - left him in shock and unable to return to work for days.

Luckily, the perpetrators were caught and the main culprit jailed for four months. Hopefully, this punishment will at least make some drivers think twice before they hound other law-abiding motorists.

Is there a cure for the disease of road rage? Better driver education? Harsher punishments? Maybe. Ultimately, however, the answer lies within each of us. We all need to slow down - and calm down when we are behind the wheel.