Stress and its Dramatic Impact on Driving

Stress can have a dramatic effect on your driving, according to a recent study into the topic.

The study looked into the mental health of commercial vehicle drivers, with job fears and prevalent attitudes combining to make mental health a difficult topic to discuss openly with superiors.

“Employees suffering from stress are 50% more likely to drive dangerously and thus be involved in crashes,” the study quotes John Sunderland-Wright, former training director at Performance on Demand, as saying.

Over half (56%) of van drivers said there was a stigma attached to discussing mental health at work, rising to 63% in the manufacturing sector, according to a survey by Mercedes-Benz Vans UK. The same survey found that 46% said this stigma centred on a fear over job security.

Stress can be triggered by a number of things, including increased workload and demands of the job, as well as job uncertainty, a poor work life balance and personal issues, but in terms of driving itself, reasons include traffic congestion and the behaviour of other drivers.

The dangers of becoming distracted while driving are obvious, with 71% of all drivers, in a study by Brake over a 12-month period, admitting to losing control of their vehicle because of stress or annoyance with other drivers.

There are a number of ways to relieve stress when driving. Allowing extra time for your journey will make traffic congestion more bearable, while avoiding aggressive drivers and maintaining good practice on the road will avoid tense situations. Making sure you know where you are going is an obvious but vital way to remain calm, thus avoiding that stressful search in unfamiliar surroundings.

Source: Venson study

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