Why are people afraid to get behind the wheel of a car. What causes fear of driving and in what forms it manifests itself. Effective ways to deal with your fear of driving and become a confident driver. The fear of driving is a feeling that prevents quite a few people from joining the multi-million dollar army of car enthusiasts. There are statistics confirming that many individuals for this reason never get behind the wheel even after finishing driving courses. Let's look at why they are giving up the freedom of movement they need so much today and whether they have a chance to change their point of view.
Causes of fear to drive
If we consider fear as a concept, then this basic emotion has a very important function. It signals danger and triggers a chain reaction of self-preservation: the brain, having received an alarm signal, activates the production of stress hormones by the adrenal glands - adrenaline and norepinephrine, which “shake up” the entire body.
Then there is an external reaction to the situation, which can manifest itself in different ways: someone hastily retreats, someone freezes, someone starts to panic, and someone suppresses their fear and acts further. Of course, if this is the fear of driving a car, then any of the listed methods of reaction can be fatal, but active actions are still considered preferable.
Considering the possible causes of fear of driving, it is natural to assume that newcomers will have more reasons to be afraid of the car.
First, they do not yet have the relevant knowledge and experience compared to experienced drivers. Therefore, their reaction to a variety of traffic situations will not always be quick and correct.
Secondly, at the beginning of his driving career, a newcomer is bombarded with a huge amount of new information with a minimum of time to make a decision. That is, where the novice driver is still thinking, his experienced “colleague” does it at the reflex level.
Thus, the soil for the emergence of a fear of driving in a beginner is fertile. However, experience shows that drivers with many years of experience can also feel fear of their already familiar iron friend. Most often - after a certain negative incident (accident).
The main predisposing factors for the development of fear of driving are:
- Own bad driving experience;
- The negative experience of others, heard from relatives, friends, acquaintances or seen in reality, in the media;
- Incorrect behavior of the driving instructor;
- Strong attachment to material values;
- An excessive sense of responsibility for one's own life and the lives of others.
Important! Fear of driving, like many other phobias, is most often susceptible to suspicious, insecure, anxiety-prone people. Therefore, it does not always have a rational explanation and real "ground".
Varieties of fear of driving
In reality, the fear of driving is just the tip of the iceberg. True experiences are hidden inside it, which prevent a person from finding a common language with the car. Based on this, there are several main types of fears that form the feeling of fear of driving a car.
Fear of getting into an emergency
Fear of a traffic accident is the leader on the list of phobias that prevent a person from enjoying the full benefits of driving a car. At the same time, some are worried about being crippled or losing their own lives, others fear for the lives of their passengers or pedestrians. There is a category of people (mostly women) who are terrified of knocking down an animal on the road.
Vivid pictures drawn by the violent imaginations of suspicious people can feed the natural feeling of fear of dying. They also add fuel to the fire with spectacular videos on the Internet, stories in news and TV programs, articles in newspapers, emotional stories of others. Of course, one's own injury cannot but affect - a seen or experienced accident, death or injury of a loved one as a result of an accident.
It is noteworthy that the fear of an accident is not only the most common cause of fear of driving, but also the most powerful - even the most experienced drivers cannot completely overcome the fear of death. Not to mention the novice car enthusiasts and those who are just planning to become one. Therefore, some of them do not even try to find a way to overcome their fear of driving, remaining in the passive role of a passenger.
Fear of material damage
The fear of losing property is another common factor that prevents a person from feeling comfortable while driving a car. A car itself is not a cheap thing, spending on which is not limited only to a purchase. The operation of a vehicle also requires considerable material costs, not to mention major repairs. Moreover, after accidents, and even not your own car, if you are the culprit of the accident.
Such situational combinations in the brain of a practical person can outline significant amounts of possible damage, because of which he never dares to master the driving skills. There is another version of the interpretation of the fear of material losses associated with driving a car, when an increased sense of responsibility does not allow getting behind the wheel of someone else's car.
In principle, the fear of material damage and the fear of death can be called two sides of the same coin, since they have one common concept - loss, loss. Therefore, they are, to one degree or another, inherent in all motorists.
Fear of losing control
Many people hesitate to drive a car for fear of not being able to cope with it in a certain situation. Someone is afraid of stalling at an intersection or a busy highway, someone is afraid of oncoming traffic and pedestrians crossing the road.
There are people who are afraid to get confused in the traffic or lose control during bad weather (downpour, snowfall, ice). Many are repelled from independent driving by the prospect of a sudden breakdown of the car.
At the same time, some are afraid of their own helplessness, while others are afraid of their unwillingness to look stupid or ridiculous in the eyes of others (fellow travelers, drivers of other cars, pedestrians, etc.). In the latter case, it is really stupid to be afraid of someone's condemnation or ridicule, since drivers are not born - they become. Absolutely everyone was once new to driving and made mistakes.
Most often, this fear is based on the lack of driving skills and a sense of the size of the car, as well as sufficient knowledge about its structure. Therefore, the best way to overcome the fear of driving in this case is practice and time.
Fear of the car itself
There are people who are afraid of the car in principle, identifying it with a living aggressive creature. They endow the iron beast with an uncontrollable character, which a person cannot control. And it is precisely the fear of this uncontrollable "monster" that makes it impossible a priori cooperation between man and car. According to people with this conviction, the main thing in a man-machine relationship is the car.
Such a phobia belongs to the irrational, since we all know that a car is a mechanism that is created by a person and is also controlled by him. Although most owners do not deny the fact that their cars have their own character. But rather moody than aggressive.
Important! Very rarely, only one of the above types of fear is an obstacle to quiet driving. More often they go in a complex, broken down by importance.
Ways to overcome your fear of driving
Practice shows that it is much easier for an experienced driver to overcome the fears that have arisen "about" than a beginner, who has these fears, by and large, only "in the project." But there are several proven ways to keep these worries to a minimum and find rapport with your car.
The most effective ways to get rid of your fear of driving:
- Definition of goals … Before you fight your fear of free driving, understand your motivation. If you want to drive a car just because others want or require it (parents, spouse, loved one, employer), or simply because you want to be no worse than others, think about the need for such events. In reality, you are either not yet ready to drive a car, or you do not need it at all. If your goals are clear-cut (getting a good job, having rights, expanding the scope of travel, gaining independence and comfort of movement, etc.), there are much more chances to overcome your phobia and carry out your plans.
- Practice, practice and more practice … Driving is a skill that develops over time. Remember that a person has not yet been born who could immediately master all the subtleties of driving to automatism and at the same time control the situation on the road, road signs, instruments, gear shifting and pedaling. All this is mastered gradually, step by step. Thus, the more time you spend mastering these skills, the faster you will feel confident behind the wheel. This means your fear will have less food to grow. The top tip is to be persistent and consistent. Start at the circuit, then go to suburban tracks. After you feel the confidence to expand the areas of your opportunities, go to the development of the evening low-occupied city roads. And only after that you can try to dive into the daytime bustle of city traffic flows.
- Theoretical preparation … In order not to get confused in the middle of the road due to a car breakdown, learn its structure and the main possible malfunctions. Knowing the mechanics of a car is a surefire way to become more confident in handling it. If you know and understand what and how happens after one or another of your movements or manipulations, then you will have much less reason to be nervous. Of course, not everyone can master the knowledge of an auto mechanic, but the most common situations can be remembered. Do not forget the rule: "Knowledgeable means armed." Therefore, study the most common problems for beginners: starting off, braking, keeping distance, lane, feeling the size of a car, driving in a stream with a different speed, etc. Don't ignore the need to know the rules of the road. Try not just to memorize them mechanically, but to understand the logic of these instructions. Despite the fact that many claim that they are useless in the urban jungle, these rules have saved many lives and will save no less. Do not be lazy to study and memorize routes - it will give you more confidence on the road.
- Help from an experienced driver … If you want to befriend your car, but still feel insecure while driving, feel free to bring in someone who is more experienced in this business. First, he will be able to suggest the right decision in a difficult situation for you. Secondly, even the feeling that you are not alone in the car already gives confidence. Just choose for the role of the navigator a person who not only has driving experience, but also has a calm, patient character. Since there are cases when a nervous explosive "instructor" for a long time discouraged the desire to get behind the wheel.
- Additional driving courses … If in your environment there is no reliable experienced "second" driver or you are in the mood for professional assistance - sign up for courses of extreme or counter-emergency driving. You can also just negotiate with the instructor for additional driving lessons. The more nuances of behavior behind the wheel in non-standard situations you know, the less there will be reasons for worry.
- "Marking" … For those who are just mastering driving skills, there is a special sign "Novice driver". For insecure girls-drivers there is a sign "Shoe". Install such a sign in your car - and other drivers will be more attentive and patient towards you.
How to get rid of the fear of driving - watch the video:
Fear of driving is not uncommon. Many novice drivers and even some experienced car enthusiasts experience it. But not all of them allow this fear to deprive themselves of the pleasure of driving. Therefore, if you are afraid to drive, find the cause of your fear and feel free to remove this obstacle on the way to freedom of movement.
