If you’ve been injured in a car accident or are simply petrified of getting behind the wheel, here’s a quick guide to help you get over your fear of driving.
by Troop Atomic Mommy
This post contains affiliate links. To learn more about affiliate links and how they work, please read our Affiliate Disclaimer HERE.
Everybody knows that driving is a huge part of life in this day and age. While it’s not a compulsory thing in life, it’s something that makes everybody so much more at ease with what they are doing. It is a convenient way of getting from one place to another and getting things done in good time. Whether you are working or whether you are taking part in recreational things, it makes everything so much smoother.
Most people take driving for granted, but what most don’t understand that your love of driving can quickly be turned into gut-wrenching activity. People who experience this often gain a fear around driving because they either haven’t driven for a while, or at all, or have been in horrific car accident rendering them fearful of ever getting behind the wheel again.
Regardless of how your fear of driving came about, it’s time to learn how to move beyond that fear and how to take your life back. Here are a few helpful tips to guide you through your fear of driving before getting behind the wheel!
Sit In The Car, Without It Moving
When it comes to driving a car and getting used to the road, a lot of people think that there’s some kind of special skill required to get behind the wheel. That’s not the case at all, rather, it’s just a case of introducing yourself to the car once again. One time may not be enough, heck, even a dozen times may not be enough. Think of this as a dating ritual. You’re technically courting the idea of driving once more, and it will take time to get comfortable with the car, in and out. The idea here is to repeat this activity, as many time as you need mentally and emotionally. Once your heart stops racing and your purse normalizes and you stop beading sweat on your forehead just from sitting in the car, you’ll know you’re ready to move on to phase two of getting behind the wheel.
Ensure The Car Is Ready To Go
If you haven’t driven for awhile, chances are your car has been sitting in the garage, with the fluids inside of it, and that means possible rust, damage, and wear and tear on the engine and other parts. So before you start the car, you need to make sure it’s road worthy. Thankfully, there are many Trusted car care experts around who can look into the worthiness of your vehicle and let you know what, if any, improvements are necessary.
Take Your Time
You don’t have to start the car right after your mechanic gives your car a clean bill of engine health. You can just practice starting it, listening to the engine, and understanding all the sounds your car makes when it’s on. Many once-drivers find this tactic useful as it helps to bring down the anxiety involved with getting into a moving car. So, don’t stress and don’t rush yourself. Take your time moving through each phase re-learning to enjoy driving again.
Take Practice Tests Online And Revise Thoroughly
If you don’t know the first thing about getting behind the wheel, you might feel as though you could run into all kinds of fatal errors. If you look through the different online tests and assessments, you could slowly understand what it takes to be a driver. There are many, many practice tests online that you can study. Make sure you are doing your due diligence and putting in the time to make sure you do not cause any problems for yourself or anyone else. If you haven’t been tested before, this kind of thing could really help in terms of passing your theory test and giving you the platform to improve.
Use Virtual Reality
With advancements in technology, it can be extremely helpful to fearful drivers to try virtual driving before actually getting on the physical roads. This method allows drivers to test out their mental and emotional responses to a virtual attempt at driving. Why is this valuable to you? Not only does this help you figure out if you’re ready or not to get behind the wheel, but it also helps keep you and others safe from crashes, panic attacks, or anxiety attacks on the road.
The Takeaway
You don’t need to be bound to your fear of driving. With some or all of the tips above, you can reclaim your independence and truly get over your fear of driving.
