Downshift from road rage into low-temper gear

The NCAA basketball tournament distracted millions of Americans from their work on Thursday — and will again today. But a different type of “March Madness” risked a far more costly consequence Monday evening on I-526.

As reported on our front page Thursday, a road-rage incident there led to an accident between a North Carolina sheriff’s deputy and a Summerville man — and to a short YouTube video that has drawn hundreds of thousands of viewers.

The Summerville man told our reporter that the deputy, driving a cruiser directly in front of him, was “holding up traffic” by going only 50 mph in the left lane. The Summerville man said that after he flashed his lights at the cruiser, he could see, in its side-view mirror, the deputy yelling at him.

That prompted the Summerville man to start recording the scene. His video shows that after he passed the cruiser on the right, the deputy sped up to pass him, then pulled in front of him and hit the brakes. A minor collision resulted.

Fortunately, neither driver was injured. Neither was cited for a traffic violation, either, though the deputy was shown as contributing to the accident, according to North Charleston police.

That deputy also lost his job, resigning from the Onslow County Sheriff’s Department on Wednesday. He wrote on Facebook that he had “embarrassed” himself, his family and fellow law enforcement officers.

But plenty of other folks embarrass themselves — and endanger themselves and others — with fits of highway fury that escape much notice.

To vent frustrations related to driving (or anything else), there are far better vehicles (pun intended) than two tons of steel and glass rolling along at more than a mile a minute.

So when you’re behind the wheel, don’t get mad. That way, you’ll have a much better chance to get where you want to go, whatever speed you choose to travel.