Feelings following a road traffic accident

Being involved in a road traffic accident will have some kind of impact on you, regardless of how minor the accident was. Alongside feelings of shock and disbelief, experiencing some degree of anxiety after a road traffic accident is not uncommon.  

You may find that you feel uneasy in situations similar to your accident. For example, waiting at a roundabout may make you feel nervous if that is where you had your accident. You may also experience physical symptoms from your anxiety, such as an increased heart rate or sweaty palms, and take precautions like avoiding travelling at busy times and being hypervigilant. It is common for people to feel more at ease when they themselves are driving the care opposed to being a passenger as they feel more in control. As a passenger you are likely to experience more anxiety symptoms and may find yourself clutching your seatbelt or door, applying imaginary breaks and offering road warnings to the driver. Driving anxiety can also affect someone to such an extent that they driving or even travelling altogether. This can have a strenuous impact on that persons life, as their social life and leisure activities may reduce and perhaps interrupt their relationship with work.    

Anxiety is a complex response made up of four components: feelings (apprehension, fear or panic); thoughts (negative and irrational thoughts); behaviour (avoiding traveling in the dark or in certain whether conditions); and physical feelings (increased heart rate, sweating, nausea).  

Managing your anxiety in the car 

There are a few ways you can manage your driving anxiety. Progressive relaxation can help to reduce physical feelings of anxiety and help you to pay less attention to the things that would prevent you from feeling relaxed. Learning relaxation will take some practice, however once you have, you can apply it in the car to help you feel relaxed. You can access progressive relaxation tapes and other resources online or from a mental health professional. 

Breathing control is another way you can manage your anxiety, as this will help you to reduce your hyperventilating. Breathing should be slow and regular through your nose. It may also be helpful to count slowly as you breathe in and out (*inhale*one, two, three, four*exhale* one, two, three, four).  

Exposure to your fear can also help to reduce your feelings of anxiety. Avoiding your fear of driving/travelling will help to reinforce your anxieties, as you will associate avoidance with feelings if relief. Gradually exposing yourself to situations that would make you anxious will help you to build your confidence to cope with those situations. An example could be o start off by sitting in the car and turning then engine on. Combining exposure with your breathing and relaxation techniques will. Help you develop the confidence to increase your exposure.  

Identifying distorted thoughts and challenging them with realistic, logical ones can also help to reduce feelings of anxiety and help you to feel more in control.