If you are feeling the stress of the modern world, it’s safe to say you’re not alone! Everybody can feel a sense of anxiety based on certain situations. One of the best examples is when we’re behind the wheel. To be a successful driver, we’ve got to be completely focused and calm. It is essential that we control our emotions and reduce our stress levels on the road because if we are stressed out, we could cause an accident, or we could easily descend into road rage and aggression. So what does it really take to help us avoid stressful driving and anxiety when we’re behind the wheel?
Take It Down a Gear: 4 Ways To Minimize Stressful Driving
Keep Your Distance From Aggressive Drivers
There are going to be times when we will find ourselves victims of road rage, and if you ever spot another driver being reckless on the road, do your best to keep your distance. This is especially true for those larger vehicles because when you are in a car and they are in an 18-wheeler, it’s far better just to let them get on with things and think they rule the road. The reality is that any 18-wheeler accident lawyer will tell you that aggression is one of the biggest causes of accidents, so it’s far better for you to not enter into it. If you react by accelerating or swerving, this is going to reduce the car’s control and will put other people at risk.
Adjust the Driving Position
A very simple thing, but if you carry tension in certain parts of your body, this is going to subtly feed into your sensation of stress. Having a good posture behind the wheel is crucial for lowering your stress levels. Some of the best things you need to remember would be to have your seat back angle greater than 90 degrees, and when you stop at any red light have a little check-in with yourself to note any signs of tension and is the perfect opportunity to stretch your arms.
Take Deep Breaths
If you ever feel overwhelmed when you are driving, deep breaths are fantastic to help you stay calmer and stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system. You can do it at red lights or you can focus on breathing in and out through the nose as much as possible. Breathing in through the mouth can have a very negative effect on our body and stress levels.
Stop Honking Your Horn at Others
If you are constantly honking at others, it’s going to potentially escalate a situation and can cause more problems if you are frustrated with the other driver. Look at it from their perspective; if you were to honk the horn while they’re trying to drive and they have other things to contend with behind the wheel, such as children, you are making it worse for them.
Stressful driving is more common in this stressful world. If you ever feel overwhelmed because you are constantly in a rush or you are unable to focus, you’ve got to think about the practicalities of the situation. If you are not driving properly with focus and concentration, this could cause an accident.
