Stress Awareness Month – How To Cope With Driver Stress

0
1179

Drivers who suffer stress are more likely to be in a road crash, warns a UK road safety organisation as part of Stress Awareness Month.

But there are ways to cope with pressure and reduce the chances of having a collision, says the TTC Group, which educates 330,000 road users each year to reduce road casualties.

The daily commute, traffic jams, being late for an appointment along with being exasperated at the bad driving of others all pile on the anxiety and make driver decisions rushed, said TTC Group’s Adrian Hide.

Business drivers who think about their next meeting are also at risk of a deterioration in their motoring standards, he warned.

“You have to leave work stress outside of the car once you shut the door and fasten the seat belt.”

Motorists should re-focus their mind back onto the road once it wanders to work and family events.

“Be the better driver, turn off that mobile phone, maintain a good distance away from the vehicles in front and behind to give you a protective safety bubble to avoid hazards and leave early to give yourself more time,” said Adrian.

“Use safety and smoothness as your measuring stick and you will, over time, become safer and less stressed while driving.”

The TTC Group runs courses for all road users nationwide to raise standards including TTC DriverProtect, a managed online psychometric risk assessment tool, which includes information on how to cope with driver stress, and measures driver attitudes to allow employers to provide appropriate training to upskill staff.

One in three UK drivers report feeling stressed behind the wheel leaving them prone to make irrational decisions and suffer road rage.

Stress Awareness Month runs throughout April.