How to Get Over Your Fear of Driving

Getting a driver’s license can be an exciting experience for a lot of people, while there is also a set of people who are frightened of even getting out on the road. This fear is called freeway phobia and it can be overcome using the tips listed by 5-Minute Crafts below.

1. Face your fears by means of exposure therapy.

Exposure therapy refers to curbing your fears by facing them, one tiny step at a time. The gist of this therapy is to bid goodbye to your fright by getting used to it in the first place but at a slow pace.

If you’re terrified of driving, you may want to spend at least 5 minutes simply sitting in the car every day. Then gradually, you can drive the car for at least 5 minutes daily. Then you can keep the level up by driving a little in an area with no traffic at all. Eventually, you’ll be able to drive fearlessly with no anxiety at all.

2. Don’t drive alone.

Maybe it’s not about being fearful of driving, maybe it’s about a fear of driving alone. You can curb this nervousness by taking short trips around town with someone for the first few weeks. The more you get used to driving, the more you could be able to drive all by yourself.

You can also hire a patient driving instructor to make you feel more confident. They’ll verbally help you navigate where to go as you drive. They’ll also talk about the potential dangers they see in order to train you to avoid them by yourself. This helps in increasing your concentration during driving. A few driving sessions with your instructor can help you curb your hesitation about driving.

3. Drive in the daytime.

No matter whether you’re a new or an experienced driver, if you’re nervous about hitting the road, start by driving in the daytime. This is because the darkness (nighttime driving) makes it difficult for you to see people, animals, and other vehicles. You can drive during the day in the beginning, and once you’ve overcome the fear of driving in general, and alone, you can work on curbing your fright about night driving.

4. Make your car a safe and positive space.

You can make a playlist of your favorite songs and sing along in the car when you drive. This will help you release endorphins that keep your mood lifted throughout the journey. Another way to keep your driving environment positive is by using aromatherapy. You can put a cotton pad with a few drops of calming lavender oil in it. Or you can wear your favorite perfume when you go out for a drive to keep you boosted.

5. Embrace highway driving.

Once you’ve curbed your fear of driving in general, you may find that there’s a little bit of nervousness left when it comes to driving on the highway. You can overcome this hesitation by driving on lesser-used, not multi-lane, highways in the beginning. You can also choose to drive on smaller highways, but not at peak times of the day. You may gradually find that you’re now used to quieter highways and can level up to driving on busier ones.