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Do you get stressed while driving?

Do you get stressed while driving?

Whether it’s hitting roadworks on the way to an important meeting or being tailgated on a winding country road in wet weather, driving-related gripes are a fact of life in the UK. In fact research found that 52% of British drivers reported feeling stressed on a weekly basis whilst behind the wheel. In these kinds of situations, it’s easy to let stress take over and become upset or even succumb to road rage. However there are plenty of easy ways to take the dread out of driving:

Allow enough time

It sounds obvious, but leaving plenty of time for your journey is the easiest way to avoid your stress levels building up on your journey. Yes, there is always the risk of unexpected traffic jams, but if you’re cutting it fine to start with, you can hardly blame external factors even if traffic grinds to a halt! If you’re on a time-sensitive journey to a job interview or a wedding, allow even more time and do your research to check for delays and problems along the way before you set out.

Let it go

Unfortunately driving can bring out the worst in many people. The driver who cuts you up or tailgates you as you respect a 30mph speed limit is the person with the problem, not you. As humans, we’re programmed to feel threatened and upset by this kind of bullying behaviour, but when you think about it, allowing other people’s poor choices to affect us just makes the situation worse. It’s not always easy, but surely it’s better to take a deep breath and get on with things rather than let it affect your own driving and even your mood for the rest of the day.

Live and let live

Maybe you’ve never ridden a horse or a tractor on the road, but you’ve probably cycled. Certainly, you have a past as a learner driver and probably a future as an elderly one.Yes, it can be irritating to be delayed by a slow vehicle or driver but don’t forget we are all entitled to our place on the road and again, to do anything other than accept that is a waste of valuable energy. Also, it often pays to give the benefit of the doubt – is there a chance that error rather than arrogance is playing a part in the driving that is getting on your nerves? And if so can you honestly say that you never make driving mistakes yourself?

Address your fears

Sometimes our driving –related stresses come from within. It’s entirely understandable to feel nervous about driving; after all controlling a vehicle is a big responsibility. If you worry about getting lost, motorway driving or getting into the correct lane at a busy junction, then there are steps you can take to lessen the stress you feel on the roads. Breathing deeply, listening to music or switching the radio off can work for many people. And don’t forget, passing your test is only the first part of your learning journey. The government’s Pass Plus scheme is a great place to start if you need more confidence on the road.

Go Green

Part of the stress associated with driving can be the noise of a revving engine as it stops and starts in busy traffic and the noxious smells of petrol and diesel pervading the air. Switching to a hybrid or electric car gives you the calming benefit of a smooth, noise-free driving experience, something that can only have a positive effect on your state of mind!

Stress-free car hire

Green Motion car hire offers a wide range of low-emissions cars and vans for hire, making the process of hiring a vehicle easy and stress free.

If you would like to hire an electric, hybrid or low-emission vehicle, use our online booking system to browse the options available to you at your required branch.