I still have this gloomy task left in my schedule – pass the driving test. Once I sat on the driver’s seat of my cousin’s car it appeared so huge, although the car is smaller or mid-sized by standards. It was just so hard to wrap my mind around managing such machine. Automobiles are usually rather essential to our daily commute to work, but they can also be extremely valuable in the time of need when quick action is required, like taking someone to the hospital. Some people actually suffer from a genuine phobia related to driving, and even I have yet to find out how I stand on that topic. I’ve done a thorough research on the subject and here are my results.

Get to know it

Understanding and defeating the vehophobia is a patient and often lengthy process. The first step in beating it would be getting to the bottom of it. You may have experienced one of the following:

1. You have seen or gone through a traffic accident, 2. You regularly encounter examples of road rage, 3. Traffic standstills make you nervous, 4. You were a driver or a passenger in the extreme weather conditions that displayed high chances of crash or car malfunction, or 5. You read too much about the horrible news reports about accidents and it terrifies you.

Manifestation

Second step in conquering your fear is identifying the symptoms that emerge in the contact with vehicles. The frequent behaviour includes sweating, heart racing, chest pains, nausea and vomiting, headache, temporary blackout and shaky legs. More serious ones would be getting surreal feelings and impractical route plans in relation to driving.

Seek Professional Help

Sometimes we just need a person to confirm our thoughts are not all that unusual and crazy. And what better than a trained, empathetic professional who had many similar cases. Consult with your doctor to create a therapy tailored for your specific condition. Open up to them completely so they can understand the complexity of your problem.

Learn from Professionals

Naturally, going on the road is the risk we all take in these busy times, but at least we can ensure we’re giving our best performance. Explore the offer in pursue of safer drivers course that would not only build up your knowledge on rights and regulations. When led by experts, these courses teach us about dealing with potentially hazardous situations and how to overcome or at least subdue them.

Invest in Car Safety

It’s recommendable to upgrade your ride with some modern safety equipment car industry has launched. I read about smart tyres and how they contribute to the optimal driving experience. This put me at ease a bit, and I have marked it in my shopping list. Other easy tips cover checking and adjusting your rear-view mirror, as well as side mirrors. Alter the seat position to match your posture and fix every malfunction as soon as possible.

Bite the Bullet

Without much extreme thinking, just get in the car and try to start it in the beginning. Take the bull by the horns and initiate the first contact. Continue with careful and tiny steps to get accustomed and recover confidence needed for car operation.

United We Stand

You are not alone with your problem – many people are also facing anxiety issues provoked by cars and driving. Learn how to and reduce and finally vanquish the fear. Before getting back in the saddle full time, take baby steps and gear up with the relevant information concerning your syndrome and security measures that would make the process more agreeable to you and the fellow drivers.