General vs. Driving Anxiety: Building Confidence on the Road

General anxiety is a real challenge for many people, but for some, anxiety manifests as a true fear of driving. If this is something you identify with, understand that you’re not alone and that there are real solutions to help you get over your driving anxiety.

In this blog post, we’ll first explore the difference between general and driving-related anxiety, and then cover tips you can use to overcome your fear through actionable steps and strategies so that you can build more confidence on the road.

Here’s what you can expect to learn in this article:

• The difference between general anxiety and driving anxiety
• How anxiety affects your daily life and driving experience
• Practical steps for overcoming driving anxiety, including gradual exposure and relaxation techniques
• Tips for building confidence on the road, no matter what type of anxiety you face

What is General Anxiety?

According to the Anxiety & Depression Association of America, general anxiety disorder, also referred to as GAD, is defined as a persistent and excessive worry about different things. Individuals with GAD may be irrationally concerned about different things, whether it’s work, family, finances, health, or any other life issue. Sufferers of general anxiety may feel like these worries are out of their control for extended periods of time.

The Anxiety & Depression Association of America estimates that general anxiety disorder affects 6.8 million adults in a year. GAD can be triggered by a life event or just come on gradually. There’s no exact cause of GAD, though some studies point to family background, biological factors, or life experiences.

People with GAD may experience varying rates of anxiety, from mild to excessive, which can interrupt normal life functions. Depending on the severity, individuals may seek out interventions like therapy or medication to get anxiety under control.

What is Driving-Related Anxiety?

When anxiety isn’t general and doesn’t affect different areas of your life, it’s often referred to as a phobia, which is a fear of a specific object, activity, or situation. Driving phobia, called amaxophobia, is an intense fear of driving or riding in a vehicle such as a car, bus, or airplane. Phobias such as these aren’t uncommon: it’s estimated that around 1 in 10 American adults and 1 in 5 teenagers experience specific phobias or anxieties such as the fear of driving.

Driving anxiety itself can manifest differently from individual to individual. For some, getting behind the wheel can cause a lot of stress, while for others, the simple thought of stepping into a vehicle can result in a high level of anxiety.

Similar to general anxiety, individuals who suffer from driving anxiety may experience both physical and emotional symptoms like dizziness, panic attacks, a racing heart, or difficulty concentrating. In driving anxiety, other ways the fear manifests are in avoiding highways, taking specific routes, or canceling plans that require driving altogether.

But what causes driving anxiety? A lot of new drivers experience anxiety simply out of the fear of the unknown. The fear can also be perceived, as in the anxiety of getting into an accident. For others, the anxiety may stem from a specific event, such as seeing or being in a car accident. The reason can be different from one person to another, but what’s similar is that those with driving anxiety often feel isolated from their peers. 

Possible Key Differences Between General Anxiety and Driving-Related Anxiety 

Aspect	General Anxiety Disorder	Driving-Related Anxiety
Focus of anxiety	Multiple life areas: work, family, finances, health, etc.	Specific to driving or being in vehicles
Triggers	No specific cause; life events or gradual onset	Driving situations, accidents, traffic, highways
Scope	Widespread across daily activities	Limited to driving contexts
Anxiety symptoms	Restlessness, muscle tension, fatigue, sleep issues, panic attacks, uncontrollable worry, difficulty concentrating	Avoiding specific routes or highways, cancelling plans, limiting travel, fear of accidents, or being judged
Root Causes	Family history, biological factors, life experiences, gradual onset	Traumatic events, witnessed accidents, perceived threats
Duration	Extended periods; chronic condition	Triggered by driving situations; episodic
Treatment Approach	Broad therapy, medication, lifestyle changes	Driving-specific exposure therapy, graduated practice
Social Impact	General interference with daily functioning	Isolation from peers, limited independence

The causes of GAD and driving-related anxiety differ significantly, requiring distinct treatment strategies. General anxiety comes from complex biological, genetic, and environmental factors that create persistent anxiety in multiple areas of life, while driving anxiety has specific triggers such as traumatic events, witnessed accidents, or a lack of driving confidence. 

To manage driving anxiety, it’s essential to seek out, perhaps, a tailored approach that focuses on driving and not just on general anxiety treatments. Effective intervention for driving anxiety requires exposure to driving situations, building confidence through practice, identifying specific triggers, and developing coping mechanisms that can be applied behind the wheel. 

By recognizing that driving anxiety is a distinct phobia, instructors and therapists can create personalized success strategies built to help individuals overcome fears, rebuild confidence on the road, and ultimately achieve independence and safety.

6 Practical Tips for Building Confidence on the Road

We’ll go into more details below, but you can follow these 6 steps to build more confidence while driving:

• Step 1: Identify your triggers
• Step 2: Practice mindfulness
• Step 3: Seek professional support
• Step 4: Expose yourself to triggers
• Step 5: Develop coping techniques for the road
• Step 6: Celebrate milestones

Building confidence behind the wheel isn’t going to happen overnight; it requires an incremental approach to become more comfortable over time. There are a few key steps students can take to overcome driving anxiety one step at a time:

Step 1: Identify your triggers

Before you can start rebuilding your confidence, you need to have a clear idea of what situations trigger your anxiety. Whether it’s driving on a highway, merging in traffic, or parallel parking, there’s no shame in being anxious about driving or being in a vehicle. 

Step 2: Practice mindfulness

Once you understand what specifically triggers your anxiety, the next step is practicing mindfulness before you even step foot in a car. Find a method that works for you, such as body scanning, breathwork, or observing or journaling your thoughts. The idea is to practice bringing your focus back to the present moment so that you can stay calm, alert, and aware of what feelings may arise.

Step 3: Seek professional support 

Consider working with a driving instructor experienced in anxiety, a therapist specializing in phobias, or both. Professional guidance provides structured learning, personalized coping strategies, and a safe environment to address your specific concerns without judgment.

Step 4: Possibly expose yourself to triggers (with the guidance of a licensed health professional)

When you understand what triggers you and you’re calm and supported enough to face that fear head-on, start with baby steps. That means driving on quiet roads or in empty parking lots, driving with a trusted friend or family member, and gradually increasing difficulty on the skills you’re worried about. 

Step 5: Develop coping techniques for the road

Equip yourself with practical tools to use while driving so that if anxiety does come up, you’re prepared to handle it. Practices such as positive self-talk (“I can handle this”), grounding techniques (feeling your hands on the wheel, noticing your surroundings), or pulling over safely if you need a moment to breathe and reset can help you pause and gather your thoughts so that you’re able to continue.

Step 6: Celebrate milestones

Every small win is worth celebrating! Don’t overlook the importance of acknowledging your victories. Even something as seemingly small as driving on the highway for a few miles without feeling anxious is cause for celebrating. Pausing to celebrate your wins can also help rewire your behavior so that your brain now associates these situations with positive experiences instead of fears or anxieties. 

How Driven2Drive Helps You Overcome Driving Anxiety

Driven2Drive is a premier driving school in Philadelphia with years of experience in instructing new students of all backgrounds, from first-time drivers to adults who want to take lessons. Many of our past students have suffered from anxiety related to driving, and thanks to our structured approach to driving education, we’ve been able to help them overcome anxiety and phobias to become confident, skilled drivers.

Our compassionate instructors are experienced with various driving situations and understand how to adjust lessons according to a student’s anxiety. Not only that, but all of our lessons are tailored so that you get a safe space to practice driving without any pressure. Our drivers focus on fostering a supportive, safe environment for students where they can progress according to their own pace.

At Driven2Drive, our personalized lessons help students relieve stress and anxiety around driving by design. While our instructors and lessons can’t replace medical intervention in extreme cases of anxiety, we’re always prepared to help any student overcome their driving anxiety with a tailored lesson plan.

D2D helped me overcome my extreme fear of driving and change my life! I never learned as a teenager and after being in an accident in my early 20s I have been afraid to drive since, as well as riding in car anxiety. After 10 lessons I know I can drive safely and defensively. I drove in situations I never could have imagined before, and felt empowered. Could not recommend enough for adults with driving anxiety.

Patchouli Oerther

The Road to Confidence with Driven2Drive

Confidence is everything when it comes to moving past driving anxiety. Some students come to us thinking that confidence is a trait that they don’t have, but the truth is that confidence is a skill you can learn through practice, patience, and the right support.

At Driven2Drive, we help students overcome driving anxiety through consistent practice through personalized lessons. We guide students throughout the driving education process, offering a safe and encouraging space to test boundaries and learn new skills. Our instructors always encourage students to be patient, trust the process, and face their fears instead of suppressing them. 

If you’ve been struggling with driving anxiety, know that you’re not alone. Many drivers we’ve encountered experience the same fears, but the good news is that with the right instructor and lesson plan, you can take back control over your driving experience. 

Key Takeaways 

• General anxiety affects multiple areas of life, while driving anxiety is specific to driving situations.
• Overcoming driving anxiety involves taking small, manageable steps with the right support and gradual exposure.
• It’s normal to feel anxious about driving, and with the right approach, you can successfully manage and overcome these fears.
• Gradual exposure, relaxation techniques, and getting professional support are effective methods to manage and reduce driving-related anxiety.
• With the right strategies, confidence behind the wheel is achievable, regardless of your level of anxiety.

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