The most commonly cited cause of driving phobia is a prior automotive accident. A car crash, regardless of its severity, can engender anxiety and unease in the affected person.
An article from Taylor et al. (2002) addresses the lack of scholarly research into the various causes of driving phobia. The researchers examine a large body of literature related to driving fear. They use the collection of data to identify a variety ways in which driving anxiety can develop. They also address the diversity of behaviors exhibited by people who have driving fear.
How Do We Define Driving Phobia?
One of the first issues discussed in the article is how to define and categorize “driving phobia.” Some of studies from which the researchers collected data defined driving phobia as a total avoidance of driving, or extreme avoidance of driving.
Other psychiatrists have used broader criteria to define driving phobia. They found that some people who have an extremely strong fear of driving do continue to get behind the wheel. The level of distress is still much higher in a person with driving phobia who forces him or her self to drive than it is in a healthy person. This is problematic, because stress has a negative effect on the overall health of the driving phobic.
Reactions to Driving-Related Trauma
“Driving reluctance” is listed by the researchers as another condition that can have a major impact on people who have been in an accident. Those who suffer from driving reluctance, according to the article, will continue to drive as normal but avoid particular situations. For example, people with driving reluctance may refuse to drive in the area where they had the accident. Alternatively, they may refuse to drive in bad weather like rain or snow, stay off highways, or drive only for work- or business-related purposes.
