How to Overcome Freeway Phobia: 3 Quick Tips

There are many different fears that make encompass the fear of driving. One of the most common fears is thefear of driving on the freewayorfreeway phobia.What is it about freeway driving that terrifies so many people? Is it the high rates of speed? Merging onto the freeway and/or switching lanes? Or how about those big 18 wheelers they can be pretty intimidating. It just might be a combination of all of these.

The reason freeway driving is such a common fear is because it bundles common driving fears into one situation. High rates of speed, traveling further away from you safe zone (home), more likely to drive under bridges, and when you fear reaches its peak, it’s not as easy to just pull over and get out of the car.

Rest assured these are all solvable problems. Here are a few tips to help you confront and conquer your fear of highway/freeway driving:

  • Practice, Practice, and More Practice:The only way you will truly relax on the freeway is by feeling confident in your driving skills. In order to that you should practice driving on the freeway during non-peak driving hours. Try late nights or mid days (before or right after people go to lunch). Practice accelerating when merging onto the freeway. Also, practice switching lanes, accelerating and decelerating on various lane.
  • Let’s Talk Speed:If your more comfortable driving on local roads than highways or freeways, you’re driving anxiety may be worse because you're traveling at higher rates of speed. You don’t have to keep up with the "flow of traffic". Do the speed limit. Stay in the right lane. If someone gets on your bumper, don't speed up to accommodate them, instead slow down 3-5mph until they go around. The goal is to get you comfortable driving on freeways. There’s no reason you need to press the pedal to the floor and barrel down the freeway as fast as possible, in fact, that’s counterproductive. Quit rushing through your feared situation, force yourself to slow down to a safe and reasonable speed, and realize that driving isn’t really that terrifying. Stay in the right lane, take some deep breaths, and let you shoulders drop.
  • You Are Not Trapped:What a lot a people fear about freeway driving is they feel trapped. If anxiety or a panic attack should occur it may be miles to the next exit. Getting on the highway takes a certain level of commitment that isn’t necessary when you can turn around and go home whenever you want. It’s not the same as being able to pull over into any parking lot and take a break, or get out of the car, etc. If this is your major fear about freeway driving, as it was mines, I have two words for you.So What?Thats right so what if you can't get off the freeway for the next couple mile. What do you think is REALLY going to happen? Think you’ll lose control and twist the wheel into traffic or off the bridge?You won’t. Think your mind will spin too fast and you’ll slip into madness?You won’t, it doesn’t work that way. Maybe you’ll have to pull over and you’ll disrupt traffic and run across the highway and have to be restrained and be on the news and be humiliated.Nope. Won’t happen.

Chance are you've experienced anxiety while driving or even thinking about the freeway, but ask yourself...What’s the worst result you’ve experienced? Was it really that bad? Did it kill you? No because you're reading this article. The thing with the fear of driving on the freeway is you're not thinking about what "Is Happening" your mind is too busy focusing on what "May Happen". The sooner you learn how to handle those feeling and thought the sooner you willKiss Your Fear of Freeway Driving GOODBYE!

For more information about overcoming your fear of driving on the freeway click the link in the resource box below.