The bad driving habits of our parents, have been reported to be leading younger drivers to lose our rag behind the wheel, new research reveals.

Road rage is on the increase in the UK, with half of all British motorists affected,
and this growing trend could in part be down to drivers imitating their parent's behaviour behind the wheel, according to the new study.

Research by Norwich Union found that road rage is most likely to occur among inexperienced young drivers aged 18 to 29, with three in five (61 per cent) admitting to personality changes behind the wheel.

What's more, nearly two in five (39 per cent) young drivers blame their parents for their erratic driving behaviour, saying they inherited their road rage tendencies from seeing them behind the wheel.

Norwich Union found that reckless driving (82 per cent), slow motorists (69 per cent) and traffic jams (49 per cent) top the list of main road rage triggers.

One in five (22 per cent) drivers simply shrug off any confrontation, while over half of UK drivers (52 per cent) react differently to how they would normally by swearing, shouting, making rude gestures and flashing their lights.

Nigel Bartram at Norwich Union said: "With more and more congestion on UK roads and driving becoming an increasingly stressful experience, it's no wonder road rage is more widespread than ever."

However, our research shows how important it is for drivers to try and keep their cool when on the roads \endash not only will it help make their children better drivers, it will also make their journey easier and less stressful, not to mention safer.

The study also found that men are more prone to road rage than women.

Older drivers aged 60 or above are the least affected by road rage with just 15 per cent affected. Women are twice as likely as men to panic and lose concentration if faced with road rage.

Nick Copland, driver behaviour analyst and founder of MotorKarma.co.uk, said: \u8220\'93Children spend a lot of time in the car with thei parents and the research shows the impact our parent's behaviour behind the wheel can have on our own driving.

He added: "Children pick up many of their parent's habits when they become adults themselves and driving is clearly no different
that's why parents should lead by example behind the wheel and try not to give in to road rage."

All drivers must take out an insurance policy to drive their car on UK roads, so young drivers have to face up to the costs of buying protection for themselves, their vehicle and other road users. However, they can shop around for the best car insurance quotes - and can lower costs in a number of ways.

There are different levels of insurance based on how much cover you need for your car. The most basic policy covers damage to third parties. The more sophisticated third party, fire and theft policies and comprehensive cover mean drivers and their cars are insured for losses to their own vehicles.

Younger drivers also experience higher insurance premiums, due to their limited experience behind the wheel. By going on the roads with your car, you are taking a risk and an insurer will calculate how high that risk is based on a number of factors including the age of a car, its engine size and the age of the driver.

If you are a new driver or are under 21 (or in some cases 25) you will be considered a greater risk to an insurance company. Lack of experience and statistics showing young drivers have more accidents and suffer more from thefts and fires mean premiums are universally high for newcomers.

High insurance is a rite of passage and while all newly qualified drivers are slapped with higher premiums, the more experience you gain and the more no claims discount you build up, the quicker you will see your premiums tumble.

Moreover, there are specially-designed insurance policies out there specifically for young drivers which, while still expensive, can provide other benefits which suit your needs, especially if you don't drive at night or have a low mileage.

Furthermore, if you cannot afford your own policy, there is always the option of being a named driver on your parent's insurance policy. While you will not build up the no-claims bonus it's a good way of saving money whilst getting those all-important first few months of driving experience under your belt.