A YORK judge has warned drivers to keep their temper even when confronted with what they consider to be bad behaviour by other road users.

Judge David Bentley, QC, was sentencing a 31-year-old family man of good character for a "road rage" incident, on the Malton bypass on January 16.

Alan Mitcheson, prosecuting, said Jason Brian Woodhouse gestured to the driver of a Ford Fiesta as he overtook at speed and sounded his horn.

He believed the Fiesta had been overtaking other vehicles into oncoming traffic.

"There is a lot of bad driving on our roads. We all know it. We see it for ourselves every day," the judge told Woodhouse.

"It is essential that drivers don't lose their tempers, because when you get behind a wheel of a vehicle travelling at high speed, as you were on this occasion, one mistake, one error can have the most dreadful consequences".

Mr Mitcheson said that as he was overtaking, Woodhouse cut across the Fiesta to take the Pickering turn-off, forcing the Fiesta's driver, Allan Thompson, of Cayton, near Scarborough, to brake so sharply he lost control and crashed. Two children in the Fiesta were injured.

Woodhouse had his children in the back of his BMW.

The judge said normally he would have jailed Woodhouse, but because it would mean him losing his job and his family probably losing their house, he gave him 240 hours' community service, with a 12-month driving ban.

Woodhouse, of Edge Lane, Thornhill, Dewsbury, who admitted dangerous driving, must also take an extended driving test.

Dan Edwards, mitigating, said Woodhouse was not the typical "road rage" driver. He had not realised the Pickering turn-off was so close.

He had wanted to remonstrate with Mr Thompson for what he considered to be "dangerous and stupid driving", but it was possible he had confused the Fiesta with another car.