Driving fear can vary in its severity, causing a mild to moderate nervousness in some people and an extreme, crippling anxiety in others. This means that certain individuals are able to drive when necessary, but they may avoid doing it too often, while others are too afraid to even sit down in a vehicle.
For some, driving fear is not a regular problem, but it can arise at unexpected times or during certain driving situations.
This is usually the case for people who rarely drive outside of their routine. They may not be aware that they are afraid of driving in the snow or driving over water until they are actually doing so.
This can be particularly dangerous, because it often leads to panic or “freezing up” while driving.
Even being aware of a fear of a certain driving situation can be dangerous at times.
A writer who has struggled with tunnel phobia for many years has experienced several driving-related situations which have affected his ability to drive comfortably (though not prevented him from driving altogether). He describes how two such situations came about and how he reacted.
If you want to read about the man with tunnel phobia and how his fear continues to affect his life, you can go to the link found below. The piece also points out some practical steps you should take before driving in an unfamiliar place, especially if you know you have a specific driving fear.
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