All our limitations come from fears. It is fear that often tells us that we cannot do something.
In this particular example, fear of driving is a topic.
Do you have a driving license but are afraid to drive? We can tell you immediately that overcoming that fear and leaving it behind is possible.
Considering that you have a driving license, you must have wanted to drive before.
You have passed your driving tests and can now drive freely without fear.
That’s how it goes. Everyone can’t wait to get a driver’s license to enjoy driving.
And how could it not, when driving offers us enormous opportunities and greater freedom to go where we want and not depend on others to drive us?
You know how tiring it is to constantly ask others to drive us somewhere.
But something happened, and your driver’s license became just a random piece of paper in your drawer.
It’s time to put your licenses to use.
We will do this by listing the potential reasons why you are afraid of driving and some possible solutions for how to get over a fear of driving, so keep on reading.
You Forgot to Drive
Driving is a skill learned over time.
If we don’t practice a skill, especially at the beginning, we can forget it.
Let’s imagine it like this, you pass your driving test, everything goes ok, and then you don’t drive.
An extended time can pass, even years, and you still don’t drive even though you have the right to do so.
There can be many reasons for that.
A common reason is that you may not have needed to drive.
Let’s say you live in a big city where everything is accessible, and you don’t need to drive.
But the situation can change.
Maybe you move away, find a job in another part of the city, and realize that even though everything is available in the town, you want to change the environment.
You didn’t have a car when you got your driver’s license?
How can you perfect something when you have nothing to practice on?
You told yourself you would buy a car, but the situation got complicated, and here you are many years later. Now you have the money to buy a vehicle but don’t have the skill to drive it.
When young people get their driving licenses, they usually don’t have the funds to buy a car right away, which can take a long time.
Solution: Retake driving lessons. Maybe it’s a bit drastic for you, but if it’s been many years, why not.
You don’t have to be ashamed of it. It’s better to take a few driving lessons than to never drive.
With a car, you can go anywhere.
Especially if it’s a huge change, like you’ve moved to another place, and now you’re unfamiliar with the traffic because you’ve lost touch over the years of not driving.
Other Drivers Terrify You
You think that other drivers are a danger behind the wheel.
We cannot say that you are entirely wrong. It is enough to see how many traffic violations are every day.
In addition to breaking traffic rules, there are many rude people behind the wheel who will not hesitate to use curse words just because you decide to drive slower.
All those maniacs behind the wheel make you nervous and destroy your will to drive.
They even make you hate driving.
Solution: Concentrate on yourself while driving and ignore the rude behavior of others.
Yes, there are a lot of rude drivers, but there are a lot of responsible drivers too.
It’s like looking at people on the street, some are rude, and some are not.
You cannot limit yourself because of others.
It is best to come to terms with that fact and do everything you can to ensure that you are not like that.
You Think You Are a Bad Driver Because Others Have Convinced You So
We have to confront you with the truth right now: You can’t blame others for something you don’t do.
They impacted you, but that can’t be an excuse for anything, including driving.
We should not run away from the facts, but we should not limit ourselves because of other people’s opinions.
As in everything in life, so in driving.
Let’s imagine the following situation: You just got your driver’s license and went for a drive with your parents.
Out of concern for you, they can count every little mistake you make while driving.
Parental care is normal, but if it is excessive, it can have consequences.
In this case, that excessive worry can convince you that you are not a good driver and are afraid of driving.
It’s the same with friends, and they can influence you.
If you are not an extreme car lover, and you don’t know every part of the car, and they are, you may feel that driving is not for you.
Solution: Since you got your license, you are not as bad a driver as others think (unless you cheated on the test).
Try driving alone.
Maybe it seems scary, but it’s much better than being surrounded by people who kill your self-confidence for driving.
If you think you need support in driving, choose those people who support you in other things. With those people, you are sure they will not complain about how you drive, and if you do something wrong, they will point you in a way that will not hurt you.
Driving Anxiety
Like any other anxiety, driving anxiety makes you think about the worst possible scenario that could happen to you while driving.
Maybe you have some unpleasant experience from the past that happened to you while driving.
That bad experience can trigger anxiety, but that doesn’t have to be the case.
Driving anxiety makes you think that you have no control over the wheel and that something terrible will happen.
You don’t think just about traffic accidents, but things like a flat tire, getting lost, etc.
Maybe some specific driving situations make you anxious. These are usually:
- driving at night,
- driving on the highway,
- driving in the rain,
- being trapped in a traffic jam,
- driving through unknown places,
- driving behind large vehicles.
Solution: Everything starts with our beliefs.
No wonder you fear driving when you think something terrible will happen.
It seems difficult, but you should try for a change to think that nothing bad will happen.
Visualize yourself on the road, how you drive, and everything is ok.
Before starting the drive, prepare yourself adequately and convince yourself that you have control over the vehicle.
Start with tiny steps, and increase more and more. Over time, you will be freer to drive and leave anxiety behind.
You Were Involved in a Traffic Accident
In addition to the physical consequences of traffic accidents, there are psychological ones.
Even if you get away without physical consequences after a car accident, the psychological effects can be enormous.
Emotions that occur after such a traumatic experience are:
Fear, anxiety, grief, guilt, anger, and denial.
These strong emotions can easily make you think you never want to drive again.
Solution: Give yourself time to understand what happened and to process it in your head.
You don’t have to punish yourself by never driving again if you had a bad experience in the past.
A defensive driving course can be a good choice because you will learn something new about safety and reduce your fears.
You may need to consider therapy if there are emotional traumas after a traffic accident.
5 More Tips for Overcoming The Fear While Driving:
- Positive affirmations – We have already mentioned above the importance of our beliefs. Instead of thinking about what can go wrong, think: “I’m in control; if I drive safely, everything will be ok.”
- Know your vehicle – We fear what we don’t know enough. So get to know your vehicle. Although you may not be a car enthusiast, it is not difficult to learn the basics, at least how to change a tire.
- Prepare before driving – This is especially important if you are going on a long trip to an unfamiliar location. Look at Google Maps before the trip, and you’ll be more confident about not getting lost.
- Create a relaxing atmosphere for driving – To be relaxed while driving, your car should not be in a mess. You can also make a music playlist that relaxes you. Also, don’t wear clothes that make you feel uncomfortable and tight.
- Learn to love and enjoy driving – Just think about what driving gives you and how much you depend on it. Why not learn to love driving too?
In Summary
“Fear is the face freedom wears.”
This one sentence can sum up this entire article.
We are talking about driving here, but don’t let fear stop you from anything.
You can get through it no matter how hard it is, and we hope our tips will also help you overcome your driving phobia. Good luck!