The Lone Ranger rode across the Great Plains during the early days of the Wild West, enforcing law and order.

His creeds included: "I believe that to have a friend, a man must be one," and "All men are created equal and that everyone has within himself the power to make this a better world."

If those words were heeded today, we bet the term "road rage" would never have had to be coined in 1987 by a still-wild West Coast radio station when reporting repeated incidents of gunplay on L.A. freeways.

Since then, road rage has become increasingly dangerous: Over a seven-year period, it was linked to 218 murders and 12,610 injuries. Here are a few tips to help you avoid it.

Don't Cause Road Rage in Others

• Pay attention to traffic flow — no texting or putting on makeup. And be considerate; 49 percent of road rage incidents are caused by a distracted or inattentive driver.

• Don't speed or change lanes recklessly, signal, and always check your blind spot.

Don't React to Bad Behavior

• Don't honk your horn, flash your lights or make obscene gestures at other drivers to express your discontent.

• If someone cuts you off or misses moving through a light because they are texting, practice anger management such as deep breathing and redirecting your thoughts to more pleasant topics.

• If enraging traffic is a daily occurrence, consider carpooling or taking public transportation.

Remember that road rage — assault or endangering other people or property with a motor vehicle — is a criminal offense.