Many people face some residual anxiety after they’ve been involved in a car accident. This anxiety can range from minor to paralyzing.
One common element is that it can make it difficult to get back in the driver’s seat. While this is to be expected, the ability to drive is something most people want to regain.
This list of tips can help people overcome their fear and get back behind the wheel of their car.
These baby steps can help you feel more relaxed in a car and eventually regain your confidence in your driving abilities. It may also reveal something else.
These rides can help you to face the trauma that you went through. You may not really know how much pent-up fear you have until you take that first ride. If you have a lot of flashbacks or an anxiety attack, you need to seek counselling.
They can also prescribe medication to help you deal with emotions that seem too intense. If you face daily anxiety or PTSD from the accident, you should seek medical help to treat it.
If left untreated, these symptoms can worsen and you may never be able to drive again.
Later you can take trips to the neighbourhood grocery store. Make sure you stick to quiet roads with less traffic.
You can stay in your comfort zone as long as needed. You’ll know when you are ready to venture further out into the world.
Not only will this person be a source of comfort for you but if at any time you feel unequipped to drive, they can take over. Just knowing that you have a backup plan can help make you feel more at ease.
One common element is that it can make it difficult to get back in the driver’s seat. While this is to be expected, the ability to drive is something most people want to regain.
How can an individual feel able to drive again after an accident?
This list of tips can help people overcome their fear and get back behind the wheel of their car.
1. Ride in the Back
You may not feel ready to jump back into driving, but you can still take steps towards getting used to vehicles. So, instead of avoiding cars altogether, get rides from friends and ride in the back or passenger seat.These baby steps can help you feel more relaxed in a car and eventually regain your confidence in your driving abilities. It may also reveal something else.
These rides can help you to face the trauma that you went through. You may not really know how much pent-up fear you have until you take that first ride. If you have a lot of flashbacks or an anxiety attack, you need to seek counselling.
2. Get Professional Help
Using a therapist to help you through the difficult emotions you are facing due to your car accident is nothing to be ashamed of. These professionals can help you to process your trauma and regain your ability to drive again.They can also prescribe medication to help you deal with emotions that seem too intense. If you face daily anxiety or PTSD from the accident, you should seek medical help to treat it.
If left untreated, these symptoms can worsen and you may never be able to drive again.
3. Start With Short Drives
To start, you might just get in the driver’s seat while your car is parked in the driveway. After a few times, you can progress to driving your car around the block.Later you can take trips to the neighbourhood grocery store. Make sure you stick to quiet roads with less traffic.
You can stay in your comfort zone as long as needed. You’ll know when you are ready to venture further out into the world.
4. Bring Along Support
If the car accident happened while you were alone in the car, often just having someone there with you can alleviate much of the stress and anxiety you face when you try to drive again.Not only will this person be a source of comfort for you but if at any time you feel unequipped to drive, they can take over. Just knowing that you have a backup plan can help make you feel more at ease.
5. Upgrade Your Vehicle
If your vehicle was damaged in the crash, now is a good time to consider upgrading your vehicle for something with high safety ratings.Just knowing that your car survived many crash tests can give you more confidence behind the wheel.
MotorTrend has published the list of the safest cars for 2021, just in case you are wondering which cars to look for.
With high-quality personal injury lawyers like those at JT Legal Group, you can get a settlement that will pay for your new car and even some spending money.
Not only will these courses equip you with new driving skills to stay safe, but you will be practicing these skills on a contained driving course which may be easier to start out on than the public road.
Instead, take baby steps and take your time. Everyone processes trauma in different ways at different rates.
With that being said, you don’t want to give yourself so much time that driving becomes unfamiliar. That will also make it more difficult to get back to driving.
MotorTrend has published the list of the safest cars for 2021, just in case you are wondering which cars to look for.
With high-quality personal injury lawyers like those at JT Legal Group, you can get a settlement that will pay for your new car and even some spending money.
6. Take Defensive Driving Courses
Anyone armed with knowledge feels safer in any situation. Defensive driving courses can give you the knowledge you need to feel safer driving around other cars.Not only will these courses equip you with new driving skills to stay safe, but you will be practicing these skills on a contained driving course which may be easier to start out on than the public road.
7. Be Patient
If you feel like you aren’t progressing as quickly as you could, don’t beat yourself up. Getting impatient will only exacerbate the problem.Instead, take baby steps and take your time. Everyone processes trauma in different ways at different rates.
With that being said, you don’t want to give yourself so much time that driving becomes unfamiliar. That will also make it more difficult to get back to driving.
