The fear of being involved in an auto accident is the number one factor affecting driving anxiety and stress, but there are ways to circumvent these fears. If these fears can be overcome, it will greatly improve the lives of these individuals and is very likely lead to fewer auto accidents.
The Anxiety and Depression Association of America has tips for drivers who want to drive safely and responsibly without letting their fears and anxiety come in the way. Ironically enough, these anxieties and stresses may actually place drivers at a greater risk of being involved in an auto accident. Confidence and calm is key to driving safely and responsibly and when a driver is stressed about being involved in a car accident or losing control of the vehicle, it makes it more likely that he will actually cause a car accident.
According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, fear of being involved in a car accident is the number one factor that causes driving anxiety. We live in an age when high resolution images of catastrophic or fatal car accidents are easily available online, and if a person has seen these images, these may flash in his mind when he is driving, causing his or her heart rate to increase and his or her palms to become sweaty.
Anxiety about being involved in a car accident may be even more common among people who have already been involved in an auto accident earlier. When a person has been involved in a car accident, he or she might find the thought of driving after recovery stressful and anxiety – inducing. She or he might have flashbacks of the auto accident, and might even suffer from symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder while driving.
The Anxiety and Depression Association of America also states that fear of getting a panic attack while driving, fear of death while driving and fear of getting lost or suffering road rage behind the wheel are also other common factors. For example, a person might be stressed about the thought of getting lost while driving, especially if the route is new or unfamiliar.
If you suffer from any kind of driving anxiety, stick to safe and predictable routes. Also avoid driving at night when it is more likely that you will get lost and panic. Atlanta’s notorious traffic can also be an anxiety- inducing factor for many drivers. For a motorist who has a fear of crowds, being stuck for hours in vast volumes of traffic can cause panic. If you suffer from driving anxiety in specific situations like on busy roads or high traffic areas, avoid those roads, or stay on back roads until you feel confident enough to travel on busy roads or highways. Schedule your driving so that you are not sharing the road with large volumes of drivers. This can help you avoid stress.
The Atlanta car accident lawyers at Katz Personal Injury Lawyers are dedicated to the representation of persons who have suffered injuries in car accidents in the metro Atlanta region and across the state of Georgia. If you or a loved one have suffered injuries in a car accident, talk to a lawyer at our firm and discuss your legal options for a claim for damages.