Drivers have a lot to do. This can cause stress and nervousness among drivers, especially if they just passed their test. How do you handle anxiety while driving? Learn our 8 tips to help nervous drivers. driving school considered as best for learning driving .From preparing your vehicle for your journey to using your traffic apps to making sure you are comfortable driving.
8 Tips for Nervous Drivers
We’ve now established the reason you might feel anxious behind your wheel. Here are our top 8 tips for how to avoid being nervous.
- Prepare your vehicle
Driving anxiety is the feeling that you don’t have control over the roads. It’s true that you cannot control the speed at which other drivers drive, or how they pull up on you at roundabouts. What you can control is the safety of your car.
Make sure your tires look in great condition. Check for irregular tire wear and damage. Safety tips to help you drive safely should relieve some of your worries.
A second way to prepare your car is to ensure that it has been properly serviced. You can relax a little more behind the wheel knowing that your vehicle has been well maintained and is being checked.
- Assess your mental state
Knowing your mind is a great tip for managing anxiety while driving. It’s not the right time to deal with anxiety when you are stressed or feeling overwhelmed. It’s better to wait until you feel calmer and more confident before you attempt anything.
- Listen to music
It has been proven that music can calm nerves. So why not play some upbeat music on the drive? It is important to keep the volume low enough that it doesn’t distract from driving anxiety. To calm your nerves, you can listen to soothing classical music. This will likely improve your concentration.
- With the company, you can combat nerves
As mentioned earlier, nervous drivers may find driving alone to be an anxiety trigger. You can overcome driving anxiety by driving with a friend or family member. Being able to talk to them can have the same effect as music, which removes the initial stress. But it can be a different experience for some. It may work in the opposite direction. Driving with passengers in your car can cause additional stress and pressure.
- Drive in familiar areas
Avoid driving in unfamiliar areas, especially in daylight, to help calm nerves. You’ll know when to turn right, which exit to take on the roundabout, and where the dual carriageways are. This will make it less likely that you’ll get lost.
Although you won’t be able to anticipate every possible situation on your route due to roadworks and temporary traffic lights, at least you will know where you stand. It’s a good idea to practice driving in familiar areas at least once a week for at most 20 minutes. You’ll soon become more comfortable with it.
6. Clean car, clean mind
Like the promise of a clean house and tidy life, junk in your car can cause you to feel more stressed out during your drive. Untidy cars under the driver’s feet can pose a danger as junk could lodge and become stuck beneath your brake pedal. It might be worth cleaning your vehicle’s exterior too. This could result in problems on the road such as unclear registration plates or other criminal offenses.
7. Retire to the basics
Your driving style may not be causing you stress, even if you aren’t driving at night or alone. You can go back to basics and re-learn and practice good driving habits such as checking your mirrors whenever you turn or brake; making sure you have enough distance between yourself and the driver in front, and signaling with plenty of time. It may be worthwhile to refresh your driving skills or take a few lessons with an instructor if you are still uncertain.
Knowing how to handle anxiety while driving will help you ensure that your vehicle is prepared for the next journey. Book in for an Interim, or master service to ensure that your tire pressure correctly is maintained and your vehicle is ready for any long or short journeys. Contact us if you have any questions about motoring or for advice for nervous drivers.