Driving Anxiety: Symptoms, Causes, & How to Overcome

What Is Driving Anxiety?

Driving anxiety is an intense fear or anxiety related to driving. This can range from feeling a little nervous to having panic attacks while driving or even avoiding driving altogether. For some people, the anxiety is present any time they have to drive. For others, it depends on the situation, like driving a certain route or a specific car.

Symptoms of driving anxiety could develop quickly, or they could grow steadily over the course of many years. A person with a driving phobia could have such an intense fear that they stop driving completely. This decision could cut them off from friends, family, and other positive aspects of life as they become confined to their homes.

Symptoms of driving anxiety include:²

• Feeling restless, keyed up, or on edge when driving, preparing to drive, or thinking about driving
• Avoiding driving altogether or taking longer, less stressful routes
• Feeling easily fatigued and tired during or after a trip in the car
• Having trouble concentrating while behind the wheel
• Being irritable and short with others
• Feeling tension, especially in the neck and back, while driving
• Having troubling or anxious dreams involving driving

Causes of Driving Anxiety

There are many different reasons a person may develop driving anxiety. The causes range from being involved in an accident, experiencing stressful driving conditions, or living with a physical condition that makes driving more difficult.  Understanding the root cause of one’s driving anxiety is crucial for taking the first steps toward overcoming it.

Some underlying causes of driving anxiety include:^{3, 4, 5}

Experiencing, Witnessing, or Hearing About a Driving Accident

Perhaps the clearest cause of driving anxiety is when someone experiences, witnesses, or hears about a driving accident. The accident may trigger a number of reactions, including an intense fear of a repeat incident and a heightened awareness of potential dangers on the road. If a person experiences a crash, they may also develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It’s estimated that up to 30% of people experience anxiety-related symptoms after being involved in a traffic accident.³

Having an Anxiety Disorder

Having an anxiety disorder can make someone prone to driving anxiety. This includes individuals with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), who often worry excessively about everyday activities, including driving. Constant worry can heighten anxiety behind the wheel. Similarly, individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) might experience intrusive thoughts and compulsions related to driving, such as hit-and-run OCD, which can make driving a stressful activity.

In addition to excessive worry, anxiety disorders can amplify physical symptoms of anxiety, such as rapid heartbeat, sweating, and dizziness. These physical symptoms can be particularly distressing while driving, making individuals with anxiety disorders more anxious about driving. Even the anticipation of these symptoms can worsen the nervousness and anxiety about driving and decrease the individual’s confidence on the road.

Having a Lack of Confidence in Your Driving Ability

A person may develop driving anxiety if they don’t feel confident in their driving abilities. This is common with new drivers or people driving in conditions different from those they are used to. A person may also experience a loss of confidence if they are in an accident and feel that it was their fault.

Someone who has driving anxiety because they lack confidence will often find that their driving anxiety is worse on highways. Highway driving involves faster speeds, more cars, more lanes of traffic, more distractions, and more danger. People who are not used to this experience may feel overwhelmed by the action on the expressway, which may trigger driving anxiety.

Driving Alone in an Unfamiliar Place

Driving alone in an unfamiliar place can trigger anxiety by causing a person to feel uncertain or unsure of what to do. They may feel unsafe, worry about taking a wrong turn, or fear getting lost or late.

Driving in Inclement Weather

While inclement weather will increase the stress most drivers feel, it triggers intense driving anxiety for some. Driving in adverse conditions like snow, ice, fog, heavy rains, or even low-visibility times of day may trigger anxiety in people.

Phobia of Bridges, Tunnels, or Traffic

Individuals may experience heightened driving anxiety at the mere thought of driving over a bridge or through a tunnel, fearing structural failure or the inability to escape in case of an emergency. Similarly, a person can experience driving anxiety in heavy traffic, which can trigger anxiety due to the lack of control and potentially being trapped in a congested area.

Having a Visual Impairment

Experiencing Dementia & Old Age

As people age, their reaction times slow, and their physical responses are not as sharp as they once were, which can result in increased stress and pressure. Additionally, as cognitive decline and early signs of dementia present, panic attacks could be more likely.

How to Get Over Driving Anxiety

Anxiety related to driving a car can be a very powerful force in a person’s life, but luckily, there are many ways to cope with driving anxiety. By taking steps to understand your anxiety, exploring coping skills for anxiety that help minimize symptoms, and implementing behavioral interventions, you can take steps to overcome your anxiety.

Free Anxiety Worksheets

This collection of eight worksheets provides practical tools and strategies for managing anxiety symptoms. Find the one you need, or download all of them here.

Complete Workbook Download

Nervous System Regulation Download

Identifying Your Triggers Download

Challenging Your Thoughts Download

Practicing Self-Care Download

Overcoming Your Fears Download

Setting SMART Goals Download

Practicing Gratitude Download

PLEASE Take Care of Yourself Download

Here are eleven tips for overcoming driving anxiety:⁶

1. Understand the Root of Your Anxiety

Understanding the root of your driving anxiety is the first step to conquering it. Once you understand the cause, you can develop the appropriate coping skills to minimize symptoms. Take a moment to retrace your experiences with driving anxiety by investigating when it began, when it worsened, and what people, places, and things are involved in the process.

Perhaps the most important aspect is to understand if driving anxiety is the main problem or a symptom of a larger problem. If the driving issues are linked to PTSD, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), or another serious anxiety disorder, professional treatment will be needed to target these larger issues.

To effectively reduce driving anxiety, begin by identifying specific triggers. Reflect on the following questions:

• When does the anxiety start?
• What makes the anxiety peak?
• When do the anxiety symptoms decrease
• What does the anxiety feel like?

2. Don’t Become Avoidant of Driving

Avoiding situations very rarely works in the long term. While avoiding driving might offer temporary relief, it doesn’t extinguish the anxiety. In fact, it reinforces the fear. The more you avoid driving, the bigger and more intimidating it becomes. The best way to get over driving anxiety is to face the fear while using coping skills to tolerate the anxiety.

3. Set Realistic Goals for Yourself

When managing driving anxiety, it’s essential to set clear and realistic goals. Start by identifying what you aim to achieve and outline the steps needed to get there. Consider both the short-term and long-term consequences of your actions.

If your goal is long-term relief from anxiety, you will likely follow a structured path that involves gradual exposure and consistent practice. On the other hand, if you aim for immediate but temporary relief, your approach might involve quick fixes that don’t address the root of the problem. While short-term strategies might offer quick comfort, they often don’t provide lasting solutions.

4. Start Small With Exposure

While it may be tempting to take bold steps to overcome your driving anxiety, it’s important to approach stressful situations with time and patience. Gradual exposure therapy for anxiety can be a powerful tool for overcoming driving anxiety. It works by gradually exposing you to the situations that trigger your fear in a safe and controlled environment.

Here is how exposure therapy for driving anxiety works:

• You and your therapist will create a hierarchy of driving situations, ranked from least to most anxiety-provoking. This might start with practicing in an empty parking lot and progress to driving on highways during rush hour.
• You will then gradually expose yourself to these situations, starting with the least anxiety-provoking ones. While you may experience some discomfort initially, your therapist will guide you through relaxation exercises to manage your anxiety.
• With repeated exposure, your body and mind will learn that these situations are not actually dangerous and that you can cope with the anxiety they cause.  Over time, your anxiety response will lessen, and driving will become more manageable.

5. Focus on Staying in the Moment

Mindfulness is the practice of being present in the moment without judgment. By anchoring yourself in the “now” of driving, you can detach from worrying about what might happen later or replay past mistakes. Mindfulness techniques for anxiety, like focusing on your breath, noticing the color of the sky, the feel of the steering wheel, and the song on the radio, can interrupt anxious thoughts and refocus your attention on the task at hand.

6. Experiment With Relaxation Techniques

Relaxation exercises for anxiety are effective behavioral interventions that can help manage driving anxiety by minimizing stress and calming the mind.  For instance, if your body tenses up when you think about driving, you might work on noticing and relaxing those muscles, grounding yourself with your feet on the floor, and using breathwork to calm your nervous system. This process helps rewire the brain’s response to anxiety triggers, making driving feel safer and more manageable.⁷

There are many different exercises, and it is important to experiment and find what works best for you.  Regular practice is key – the more you train your mind and body to relax on demand, the calmer you’ll feel behind the wheel, even during unexpected challenges.

Here are some effective relaxation techniques that can reduce driving anxiety:

• Body scan: To practice a body scan, find a quiet place to sit or lie down. Close your eyes, and slowly bring your attention to different areas of your body, starting from your toes and working your way up to your head. Notice any tension or discomfort, and gently release it as you go.
• Box breathing: A simple and effective technique is box breathing. Inhale slowly for 4 seconds, hold your breath for 4 seconds, exhale for 4 seconds, and then pause for another 4 seconds. Repeat this cycle several times to calm your nervous system and reduce anxiety.
• 4-7-8 breathing: 4-7-8 breathing involves inhaling quietly through the nose for 4 seconds, holding your breath for 7 seconds, and exhaling completely through the mouth for 8 seconds. Repeat this cycle a few times.
• Guided imagery meditation: To practice a guided imagery meditation for anxiety, close your eyes and visualize a peaceful scene, such as a beach or a forest. Engage all your senses by imagining the sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and feelings associated with this place. This helps distract your mind from anxiety and creates a sense of calm.
• 54321 method: The 54321 method grounding technique involves identifying 5 things you can see, 4 things you can touch, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can touch, and 1 thing you can taste. By focusing on your senses, you can shift your attraction away from anxious thoughts and bring yourself back to the present moment.
• Feet on the ground: When you feel anxious, place both feet firmly on the ground. Focus on the sensation of your feet making contact with the ground. This grounding technique helps anchor you to the present moment and reduce anxiety.
• Progressive muscle relaxation: Progressive muscle relaxation involves tensing and then relaxing each muscle group in your body, starting from your toes and working your way up to your head. Hold the tension for a few seconds before releasing it. This helps reduce physical tension associated with anxiety.⁸
• Temperature change: Use a cold pack or splash water on your face. Alternatively, you can hold an ice cube or immerse your hands in cold water. This sudden change in temperature can help reset your nervous system, reduce anxiety, and bring you back to the present moment.⁸

7. Challenge Negative Self-Talk

Challenging negative self-talk is a powerful technique for managing driving anxiety, as it helps reframe irrational fears and build confidence. When you’re behind the wheel and negative thoughts arise, like “I’m going to crash” or “I can’t do this,” these thoughts amplify your anxiety. By recognizing and disputing these thoughts, you can replace them with more balanced and realistic ones, such as “I have the skills to drive safely” or “I can handle this situation.” This cognitive restructuring can help calm your nerves and build your confidence, making driving feel much more manageable.

8. Prepare for the Possibility of a Panic Attack

Experiencing a panic attack while driving can not only be uncomfortable, but it can be dangerous as well. Although you will be exposing yourself to driving one baby step at a time, it is still important to prepare for a panic attack so you know you will be safe if it does occur.

Dealing with a panic attack while driving will take intentional, quick action. At the first sign of a panic attack, you should:

• Acknowledge the physical and mental sensations related to a panic attack
• Pull over immediately but safely
• Put on hazard lights to alert other drivers
• Stay in the car to avoid traffic
• Practice and employ healthy coping skills until the panic attack passes

9. Go to Driving School or Take a One-on-One Class

Some driving schools offer refresher or advanced driving courses. Consider taking a driving class to increase your skills and comfort level behind the wheel, including dealing with stressful situations like inclement weather.

10. Minimize Caffeine & Other Stimulants

Research shows there is a connection between caffeine and anxiety. In addition to caffeine, other stimulants like nicotine and certain over-the-counter and prescription medications increase heart rate, blood pressure, and alertness, leading to an increase in anxiety symptoms. Taking these medications before driving can make driving anxiety worse.

11. Bring In Your Supports

You probably could confront and improve your driving-related anxiety independently, but tackling a tricky issue with your friends and family is always more rewarding and more fun. If you need help with your driving anxiety, bring in your support system.

When dealing with driving anxiety, support can help by:

• Reminding you of coping skills
• Recommending new coping skills
• Keeping you on track
• Driving with you to reduce tension and stress

Even the process of sharing your story of driving anxiety can be helpful. Telling others about your stress and struggles can help the healing process and speed your recovery.

When to Seek Professional Support

For some people, driving-related anxiety is a condition they can resolve on their own. Others, though, will need the guidance and knowledge of a mental health professional. A local therapist directory is a great way to find a therapist who specializes in anxiety and takes your insurance. Many different online therapy services can also connect you with a therapist who specializes in anxiety. Online-Therapy.com is a therapy service specializing in CBT, which is particularly effective at combatting driving anxiety. If you want to explore medication, online psychiatry services such as Talkiatry provide comprehensive care for anxiety.

Driving Anxiety Treatment

Once physical and neurological reasons for increased anxiety have been ruled out by a medical professional, the most effective treatment options for driving anxiety are cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for anxiety and exposure therapy for anxiety.⁵ In addition to psychotherapy options, your physician or psychiatrist may also discuss anxiety medication options with you to reduce the frequency and severity of anxiety symptoms. The first medications considered are typically an SSRI, SNRI, or benzodiazepine for short-term relief.