Many adepts, especially young ones, are panicky about getting behind the wheel. While this is certainly a huge challenge, in this article we cite proven ways to deal with the stress.
There’s no denying it, driving is a huge responsibility not only for your life, but also for your passengers and other road users. This is one of the most important reasons why driving can cause so much excitement and unnecessary stress. While the latter is useful in healthy amounts and motivates us, excessive cortisol accumulation can contribute to a self-fulfilling prophecy – I get stressed that I’m going to hurt someone, as a result the accumulated stress blocks me and is the direct cause of the incident
This is a very dangerous phenomenon that can scare people away from four wheels for good. And after all, we don’t spend money and countless hours on theory and practice just to not take the exam or not use the granted privileges. Another issue is the development of a kind of post-traumatic stress syndrome – a car becomes associated only with examination stress. How to counteract this and how to cope with the nerves before the journey?
If you’re facing the challenge of being behind the wheel for an extended period of time, it’s a good idea to start preparing well in advance. Depending on your stress level, adapt the small steps method. If you’re stressed just thinking about driving, start by casually getting in the car and getting used to your four wheels. Start getting used to the inside of the car and the steering wheel. Put on your favorite radio show or the music of your favorite band and try to relax
Did it work? Great! Now we can move on to the next step. Put your car in neutral and start it up. Most likely the vehicle is in a home or other parking lot, take advantage of the space in front of you. Since this will be your first opportunity to drive without the help of an instructor or examiner – start slowly. Turn on your lights, buckle up, put your car in first gear and go. Make a few circles around the housing estate, park in different places and get used to driving on your own, which does not have to be as scary as it seems.
After the housing estate, it’s time for the next stage – the less frequented streets. Pick a destination on the outskirts of the city or town where you live (a market, sports store, restaurant, or gas station, for example). If you still don’t feel confident, start thinking out loud about what you need to do when approaching an intersection or seeing an obstacle
At this point, it may be best if you decide to take short daily rides to more remote or hard-to-reach areas. For difficulty and to get used to the navigation that so often accompanies longer trips, enter a random address into the app. Preferably one that takes you through the inner city. This will help you get used to an external navigator to guide you on your journey.
It’s good to know which route you need to take. For this reason, preferably the day before you plan to leave, launch Google Maps and carefully trace your route with the help of a virtual walk. It is always better to be prepared. For more difficult sections, you can think in advance about the strategy you will more or less follow
If your nerves are still acting up, make some lemon balm and get some sleep. A tired mind is much more likely to make mistakes
(Photo: pixabay.com)
