One-in-seven say anxiety affects their driving – survey
Motorists who mainly drive on smaller roads struggle to feel comfortable on motorways.
More than a third of motorists say that they feel anxious behind the wheel, a new survey has revealed.
Almost half of this number also say that nerves affect their ability to drive, with those who do most of their driving on minor connecting roads or urban areas particularly prone to getting nervous when behind the wheel.
The study of 1,441 adults by Aviva also found that drivers living in London, the east of England and Yorkshire and the Humber were the most likely to say that they were anxious drivers, with those in the North East the least likely to state this.
Among those who feel anxious about driving, more than three quarters state that they have physical symptoms including a rapid heartbeat, feeling nauseous and sweating while nine per cent say that they’ve experienced chest pains and difficulty with breathing.
Two fifths of people who say that anxiety affects their driving have reported it to the DVLA, too, though 16 per cent in the same position said that they weren’t sure if they needed to flag it.
Lorna Whalley, head of propositions, Aviva says: “Feeling anxious when driving can be very distressing for motorists and can even prevent them getting behind the wheel. However, there are ways that people can aim to get on top of their nerves, from learning calming techniques, to using technology to identify areas for improvement.
“This can help people to become more confident drivers, which can mean safer roads for both motorists and pedestrians.”
A Freedom of Information request submitted by Aviva to the DVLA also showed that a total of 534,692 people reported a medical condition between January 1 and December 31, 2022, with 5,614 of these related to anxiety.
