END YOUR FEAR & ANXIETY AROUND DRIVING WITH THE

DRIVING PHOBIA PROGRAM

Driving phobia is rarely caused by a road traffic accident. Most driving phobias start when background stress (emotional or physical) is very high and a mild but unsettling moment - like feeling panic while overtaking or a bit uncomfortable on a highway - tips a person into mild panic. The brain creates a “fear template” around the experience to help them avoid things like that in the future and then matches that out to similar roads and driving situations. This builds into a driving phobia.

Sources:

Driving Fear: What Causes Driving Phobia?

Healthline: Causes of driving anxiety beyond traumatic events

The five most common symptoms of driving anxiety are people feeling they might:

1. Lose control of their vehicle

2. Have a panic attack at the wheel

3. Get trapped on a particular road

4. Crash their vehicle

5. Make mistakes and upset other drivers

Many also feel embarrassed or ashamed of their driving fears, which makes it harder to seek help. But these are all normal reactions and very treatable.

Sources:

Driving Fear: The Psychological Symptoms of Driving Anxiety

Healthline: Driving phobia and its manifestations

The ten most common triggers for driving anxiety are:

1. Driving on motorways or multi-lane highways

2. Highways without emergency lanes or hard shoulders

3. Speed-related pressure on fast roads

4. Bridges, flyovers, or elevated roads

5. Overtaking, especially around larger vehicles

6. Tailgaters and aggressive drivers

7. Dense or stop-and-go traffic

8. Being too close to large vehicles (particularly trucks)

9. Navigating steep inclines or declines

10. High-altitude or mountainous routes

These situations often feel unsafe and can provoke panic, even in experienced drivers. They are either avoided or endured with significant distress by those dealing with driving anxiety and vehophobia.

Sources: 

Driving Fear: Lists common triggers such as motorways, bridges, and overtaking large vehicles

Medical News Today:  Driving Anxiety

Driving fear and anxiety (often referred to as driving phobia or vehophobia) is more common than people think. Around 20% of drivers report moderate anxiety behind the wheel, and 10% meet the criteria for a clinical driving phobia. For some, it’s limited to specific roads or conditions. For others, the fear is intense enough to avoid driving entirely.

Sources:

ScienceDirect: 80% of participants reported at least a minimal level of driving anxiety

Usually not. Most people with driving anxiety are competent drivers. The issue isn’t ability—it’s the fear that gets in the way of normal driving. So specialist therapy for driving anxiety is far more effective than traditional driving lessons.

Sources:

The AA: Refresher lessons but may not address underlying driving anxiety

There’s no specific medication for driving anxiety. While antidepressants (SSRIs, SNRIs) and beta-blockers can help manage the symptoms of driving anxiety, they’re often avoided due to their side effects. According to the FDA, both prescription and over-the-counter medicines may dull reflexes, cause dizziness, nausea and blurred vision making them unsafe for drivers.

Sources:

FDA: Medicines  may affect your ability to drive

Vehophobia is the clinical term for a phobia of driving, marked by intense anxiety around driving and controlling a vehicle. Unlike amaxophobia (fear of being a passenger) and hodophobia (fear of travel in general), vehophobia specifically affects drivers. It’s a treatable condition with specialist psychotherapy.

Sources:

Driving Fear: What is the name for a fear or phobia of driving?

If driving anxiety is persistent, intense, and leads drivers to avoid certain roads or avoid driving altogether, it may be a phobia. The key factor is avoidance. When fear starts limiting freedom and independence, it’s time to seek professional help to overcome driving phobia.

Sources:

Driving Fear: Making Sense of Driving Phobia

Verywell Health: When driving anxiety may be classified as a phobia