Driving can be a challenging experience, especially when stress comes into play. If drivers fail to overcome stress while on the road, neither the aggressor nor the victim will come out ahead. After all, stress can significantly impair driving abilities, leading to dangerous situations like accidents for everyone.
Stress is a state of physical, mental, or emotional tension caused by challenging situations. Recognizing when you are stressed is the first step in managing it. Understanding and managing stress, paying attention to your emotions and reactions, knowing your stress triggers, are only some of the things that you can do to manage your stress levels. Going through the Comprehensive Drivers Education (CDE) Program by the Land Transportation Office (LTO) should help, too, as they offer resources for effective stress management techniques. In any case, it is necessary for drivers to manage and overcome stress while driving, so here are some tips to help you stay calm behind the wheel.
This topic is one of the questions of the LTO CDE Exam. Please check below for the correct answer if you are going to take this exam:
Question: Who will win between two parties if they failed to overcome stress?
Answer: neither the aggressor nor the victim
The Impact of Stress on Driving Performance
Stress negatively affects driving by causing physical and psychological symptoms. These symptoms can cause drivers to get aggressive and distracted. Chronic stress can also impair focus and decision-making—a deadly combination—for drivers.
Some of the major effects of stress that impacts an individual’s driving abilities, include:
1. Cognitive Impairments
Stress can slow reaction times, make it difficult to concentrate, and impair decision-making. This can lead to slower responses to changes in the road, such as sudden stops or sharp turns, increasing the risk of accidents.
2. Physical Symptoms
Stress manifests physically through increased heart rate, sweaty palms, and muscle tension. These symptoms can make controlling the vehicle harder, potentially leading to unsafe driving behavior. In severe cases, stress can also cause dizziness or lightheadedness, which can be particularly dangerous while driving.
3. Unsafe Driving Habits
Stress often leads to distracted driving, where a driver’s mind is not fully focused on the road. It can also cause aggressive driving behaviors, such as speeding, road rage, and abrupt lane changes, all of which can increase the likelihood of accidents.
Tips to Reduce Stress While Driving
While avoiding stressors is still the best way to prevent getting in trouble on the road, this isn’t always very practical. Sometimes, it is necessary to learn how to control your stress levels, so we listed some tips to help you do just that.
Here are some of them:
1. Plan Ahead
Ensure you know your route and give yourself plenty of time to reach your destination to avoid feeling rushed.
2. Drive Defensively
Being a defensive driver, you are expected to stay aware of your surroundings and be prepared to react to unexpected situations calmly.
3. Practice Relaxation Techniques
Techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, or listening to soothing music can help maintain your composure.
4. Eat Before Driving
Avoid driving on an empty stomach as hunger can impair concentration. However, refrain from eating while driving to avoid distractions.
5. Consider Alternatives
If driving becomes too stressful, consider other modes of transportation such as walking, cycling, or public transit.
Common Causes of Driving Stress and How to Handle Them
Naturally, it isn’t fair to claim that driving stress is always brought on by pent-up emotions prior to driving. Sometimes, situations on the road also cause drivers to get stressed out, so it is a good skill to learn how to manage the stressors to help you drive safely. Having said that, we listed some of the major stressors on the road, along with the best eays to handle them:
1. Traffic and Congestion
Heavy traffic can be frustrating and stressful. To manage this, leave early to give yourself extra time and consider alternative routes. Remember, stressing over traffic won’t change the situation.
2. Road Awareness
Stay alert and aware of your surroundings. By anticipating potential issues, you can reduce your stress levels and react more calmly.
3. Inconsiderate Drivers
Encountering rude or reckless drivers is a common stressor. Try to stay calm and avoid engaging with aggressive drivers. Everyone makes mistakes, so practice patience and empathy.
4. Navigation Issues
Getting lost can be stressful. Use a reliable GPS and, if you miss a turn, find a safe place to pull over and reassess your route. Panicking won’t help, but staying calm will.
5. Cyclists
Cyclists can sometimes behave unpredictably. Always give them ample space and stay alert to their movements to prevent stress and ensure safety.
Quick Fix for Sudden Stress
Given the amount of stressors that drivers need to deal with on a regular basis, sometimes a strong mind really isn’t enough. Some may say that it’s a natural human reaction. But really, if stress suddenly gets too much to handle while driving, it’s necessary to know how to address it immediately to prevent dangerous situations while driving.
Not to say that these helps solve all the problems out there, but when your stress levels reaches a critical point, here are some easy fix that you can try:
1. Pull Over Safely
Find a safe spot to pull over and take a moment to breathe deeply. A short break can help you regain composure.
2. Breathing Exercises
Practice diaphragmatic breathing. Inhale deeply through your nose, fill your diaphragm, and then exhale slowly through your mouth. Repeat several times to help calm your nerves.
3. Adjust Your Position
Make yourself comfortable by adjusting your seat and position and loosening your grip on the steering wheel.
4. Listen to Music
Play your favorite tunes to help improve your mood and reduce stress levels.
5. Switch Off Your Phone
Avoid distractions by turning off your phone and focusing solely on driving.
LTO and Stress Management
The Land Transportation Office (LTO) also helps drivers with their stressful struggles through the Republic Act 10930’s mandatory Comprehensive Driver’s Education (CDE) program. This program provides information on dealing with stress and road rage, handling stress and crisis events, as well as providing information on updates to local traffic rules. Both new and experienced drivers benefit from the CDE program as it offers great resources that drivers may find helpful while staying updated on defensive driving practices and new traffic regulations.
Video: Stress Management Tips – Stress and Driving
Stress while driving is a significant issue affecting many motorists. This video from Dr. Marvin Marshall’s Video Insights will explore the impacts of stress on driving and provide practical tips to manage stress for safer driving experiences.
Summary
Neither the aggressor nor the victim wins if stress is not managed while driving. After all, stress not only impairs driving performance and makes drivers lose their focus and composure, but it also increases accident risks. Understanding and managing stress, on the other hand, helps drivers avoid all the negative impact of losing to their emotions while on the road. Aside from the LTO’s CDE program which offers valuable resources for drivers to learn effective stress management techniques, this guide also offers tips for drivers to stay safer on the road.