Showing posts with label driving school nelson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label driving school nelson. Show all posts

Sunday, 20 October 2024

 

Experts Reveal How to  Overcome Driving Anxieties



Driving is a skill many of us take for granted. But for some, it’s a real source of anxiety..

Whether it’s the thought of merging onto the motorway, the fear of shifting from an automatic to a manual vehicle, or simply the worry of getting behind the wheel of your used car, driving anxieties are common.

Mental health coach Jeremy Schneider states: “Driving is challenging because it highlights the anxieties we feel about not feeling in control. But there are ways we can help ourselves when we feel that way – whether it is driving or in other life situations.”

Anxiety specialist Zoe Clews echoes this idea: “Parking, motorway driving, and driving at night can all be big triggers for nervous drivers simply because they require more focus and are therefore more intense. In all of these situations, which demand a higher level of control and concentration, there is more ‘scope’ in an individual’s mind for things to ‘potentially go wrong’.”

Sam Sheehan, a motoring editor at cinch, the UK’s leading online used car retailer, has teamed up with Zoe and Jeremy to help anxious drivers overcome their fears and be more confident on the road.

Motorway driving

A lot of drivers find motorways intimidating – it’s especially common in new drivers who don’t have much experience on them. Higher speeds, multiple lanes, and merging into traffic are some of the things people find stressful.

Sam Sheehan recommends easing into it and taking your time to get used to motorways: “There’s no rush to get comfortable driving on the motorway. It’s key to take your time and start with short trips when the roads are quiet, if possible. Don’t be afraid to ask a more experienced or confident driver to come along with you for support either.

“Before setting out, plan your route to decide where you’ll get on and off the motorway and brush up on lane discipline. When you get onto the motorway, stick to the left lane until you feel confident enough to overtake in the middle and right lanes.”

Going from automatic to manual

Research by Direct Line Group shows the number of people taking driving tests in automatic cars rose to 42% of all driving tests in 2020/21.

Sam Sheehan suggested this trend could be due to, “drivers feeling intimidated by driving manual” and that, “maybe tech is making us less likely to master or refresh manual driving skills.”

Also, 2.2 million people who learnt to drive in an automatic car are aged under 35, and younger drivers (18-24 years old) report the highest stress levels at 59%. That suggests young people could be so worried about driving a manual car that they avoid it completely and won’t have the chance to get over it unless they pass a manual driving test.

It can be the same for drivers who took their tests in a manual car but have been driving an automatic for some time, too. Relearning the skill may also make them feel apprehensive.

Sam Sheehan has offered some advice to those looking to make the switch and ease their anxieties:

“If you have a manual license, don’t be afraid to take your time to get back into using gears after driving an automatic.

“Start by practising during quieter times in a safe, open space such as an empty car park. This environment allows you to focus on the mechanics of driving a manual without the stress of traffic, while you rebuild your muscle memory.

“Practice regularly and be patient with yourself. It’s normal to stall or make mistakes initially, but with consistent practice, your confidence and skills will return.”

General Driving Anxiety

General driving anxiety can stem from a few things, including past negative experiences, fear of accidents, or lack of confidence. Overcoming these challenges takes a combination of mental and practical strategies.

The mental approach

Anxiety specialist Zoe Clews explains that the most common causes of driving anxiety include being involved in or witnessing a car accident. “The subconscious mind is your inner protector and doesn’t understand time. When you experience shock or trauma, it sets up a protective defence mechanism – anxiety – to keep you safe, even if the incident occurred decades ago.

“The individual may understandably start avoiding specific roads, like motorways, or driving altogether, as human behaviour tends to avoid perceived painful situations. However, the issue is that anxiety thrives on avoidance, causing the fear to grow.”

She also recommends self-talk as a way of working through this anxiety: “Our ability to bounce back from adrenaline spikes, catastrophising thoughts, panic attacks, and anxious moments comes from our self-talk.

“When we get anxious, we tend to judge ourselves harshly, often telling ourselves we are foolish for panicking over certain things. But the more we judge ourselves, the more anxious we become, creating a vicious cycle of anxiety and self-criticism.

“Learning to talk to ourselves in a kind, reassuring, and encouraging way when facing driving anxiety may feel strange and indulgent, but it is the foundation to overcoming your fears.”

Physical techniques

According to mental health coach Jeremy Schneider, one of the best ways to combat the physiological effects of anxiety is by breathing.

“We take about 20,000 breaths per day without ever thinking about it. But if we take a big breath in and then exhale longer than we inhaled, we will slow down our nervous system.

“For instance, breathe in for 5 seconds and out for 7 seconds. Do that for ten breaths and see how you feel and then repeat.”

Driving anxieties, whether specific or general, are more common than we might think. The key to overcoming these anxieties lies in preparation, practice, and patience.

Remember, it’s perfectly normal to feel nervous about driving, but with the right strategies and support, you can become more confident and relaxed.

 

Sunday, 16 March 2014

Father killed By Police, while chasing Illegal Driver

13 March 2014
    Chloe Sutton said she and her family wanted answers about how her father James Sutton died
Police pursuing a disqualified driver ran down and killed a pedestrian on Wednesday night. The officers  were searching for the a motorist, reportedly seen at the wheel of a vehicle, when their car hit James Sutton at a junction near the sea front in Hastings, East Sussex.
Mr Sutton, a 46 years old father from St Leonards, died at the scene, despite efforts to save him. His daughter Chloe said ‘ He liked to drink and I expect he probably had a drink last night, and probably did not know what was happening. At least there’s some sort of relief knowing that he did not suffer’ . An investigation was launched after the accident. The illegal driver was never found.
Witness Chris Paraskeva said 12 police vehicles went to the scene where emergency teams tried to save the man.
Mark Norman the driver of the police car had been injured slightly by broken glass and had been suspended from driving duties while the IPCC conducted its investigation.


Thursday, 4 July 2013

Fine Increase for Uninsured Drivers

 Fines for driving without insurance are to rise from £200 to £300 .

Earlier this month, it was announced that the fixed penalty fine for driving without insurance would rise by 50 per cent in July - from £200 to £300.
This increase comes at the same time as new fines for middle-lane hogging and tailgating are introduced.
But a leading motorists' group says that the £100 rise in the fine for driving without cover will have no impact on repeat offenders. It is believed many drivers make a financial decision to drive without car insurance rather than pay annual premiums that dwarf any fines imposed by police or the courts. Currently maximum fine for no car insurance is up to £5,000, but this has never been imposed. Fines are  means-tested, which means that the average fine is £299 - just under the new £300 fixed penalty. Also in 2012 more than half of court fines imposed for driving without insurance were £200 or less.
£300 fine versus £2,850 car insurance cost
By way of comparison, men aged between 17 and 20 face average annual premiums of around £2,850.
This is according to the latest study, which looked at more than four million quotes to see what prices drivers were getting for cover between January and March 2013.
Those aged 21 to 25 paid an average of £1,500 a year for cover.
Many driving uninsured cars are young men who may already have several motoring offences to their name. So potential fines have little deterrent value and you can easily pick another cheap banger for cash, no questions asked, and continue offending.
Hotspot for uninsured drivers
David Ward, MP for Bradford East, said that simply increasing fines was unlikely to be effective.
He said: "When the court sets these charges, they have to bear in mind whether a person can afford it. "The fine could be £3 million rather than £300: but if they can't pay it, they can't pay it."
Around 160 people a year are killed by uninsured drivers in England and Wales, with thousands more injured, according to road safety organisation Brake.
The AA wants the government to take a much tougher line with uninsured drivers, particularly those who offend time and again.
Is prison the way to tackle uninsured drivers?
The AA says that in extreme cases the courts should impose electronic tags or prison sentences.
It also wants minister to increase the number of police patrols equipped with automatic number plate-recognition technology, which is used to identify vehicles without insurance, an MoT, or tax.
Large fines for those who can't pay them are not effective, But if uninsured drivers know they'll quickly be caught then that will act as a big disincentive. We need a tough, no-compromise approach to uninsured drivers which should include community service.
However, Bradford East MP David Ward is less convinced that prison is the answer.
He said: "The problem with custodial sentences is that our prisons are full enough as they are.
But there is a strong case for saying that the fines from uninsured drivers should be given to the police so they can upgrade their vehicles with this number plate-recognition technology.
'Forgetful' drivers could be caught out
There are concerns that a tougher approach could hit motorists who are driving uninsured as a result of their own error.
A senior motoring lawyer said: "I come across many drivers who inadvertently commit the offence of driving without insurance through sheer forgetfulness or disorganisation rather than any intent to break the law. "The offence is one of strict liability – either you are insured or you are not.
"Therefore it does not distinguish between someone who changed bank accounts and forgot to move their insurance direct debit and the serial offender."
It would be difficult for the courts to bring intention into the equation.
This would require prosecutors to establish that a defendant had deliberately chosen to drive without cover.
She also said: "As long as there is no distinction between offenders of this kind, I think the increase in the fixed penalty fine is as far as it should go."
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