How Emotions can Affect your Driving and Tips to Avoid Getting Carried Away with it

Feb 27, 2019

Read to know how emotions can be a driving distraction and ways to overcome it.

Driving requires focus and 100% attention to the road. As much as possible, we avoid distractions such as mobile phones, food, and loud music. However, there are innate distractions that can also affect your driving – your emotions. Emotions can affect your driving especially if you let it overcome you. Your judgment is also affected by the emotions that consume you. It is one of the most dangerous driving distractions.

1. How emotions can affect your driving

Your mood and emotion can change in just a matter of seconds. This can either be from situations or problems or any emotional stimulation. You may not be aware that certain happenings or situation has been affecting your actions or your driving, but it is. Emotions can either be positive or negative. Both can be a distraction to everything you do, including driving.

2. What negative emotions can affect driving?

Negative emotions come from negative situations or events that can be detrimental to your driving ability. Some examples are:

  • A misunderstanding that leads to an argument with your spouse or family members
  • A stressful and tiring day at work.
  • A driver cuts you off on the road
  • Receiving distressing or sad news
  • Running late for an important meeting, appointment or event

If you get into one of the situations stated above, or you notice that you’re starting to feel angry, stressed, or sad, taking a moment to acknowledge what and how you’re feeling will be helpful. Remember that it’s normal to feel different emotions. But don’t let those emotions take over you, especially when driving. The best thing to do is to take a moment to recollect and relax before taking in full control of the steering wheel.

Frustrated driver

Negative emotions come from negative situations or events that can be detrimental to your driving ability like a stressful and tiring day at work

3. Can positive emotions affect driving ability too?

Whether it is a negative or positive emotion, it can both trigger certain feelings that can control and affect your driving ability. Both cause a distraction that losses your full attention and focus on the road. Positive occurrences include:

  • Receiving a promotion or raise at work.

  • Getting a piece of exciting information or good news
  • Going to and from a celebration or party
  • Winning a prize.
  • Singing or listening to your favorite song

You may think that happy or positive situations cannot affect your ability to drive. But it still does. Any emotions can affect you in anything that you do, not just driving. So, when you’re feeling so excited or giddy about a certain situation or events, let yourself enjoy the moment first. Then, if you’re totally relaxed and you think you will now be able to control and focus on your driving, that’s the only time that you should drive.

Happy driver

Even a positive emotion can both trigger certain feelings that can control and affect your driving ability

4. How to handle emotional distractions

When you drive, you need to be relaxed and focus. This is to ensure safety and alertness while on the road. Recklessness and driving distractions are the main causes of accidents which is why it is to be avoided. Emotions, on the other hand, cannot be avoided but can be handled. To help you handle emotions properly when driving, here are some guide brought to you by Philcarnews.com. Here are the things you need to do when you experience any extreme emotions while driving:

  • Pull over to the safest place away from too much traffic
  • Relax by taking a deep breath
  • Listen to some calming or relaxing music
  • Remember that you can control your actions and intentions, not another person event or idea. Just don’t let extreme emotions take over.
  • When you allow yourself to drive under extreme emotions, chances are you’ll be driving recklessly. Envision the possible consequences of you being a reckless driver.

Car on the side of the road

Pull over to the safest place away from too much traffic then take a deep breath and relax your mind

5. What are the possible consequences of emotionally distracted driving?

Emotional driving often results in road rage and aggressive driving. When you get involved in road rage and you were caught by a law enforcement officer, you’ll face criminal charges. It can result in you being in jail for quite some time, paying high fines and court appearances.

In addition to aggressive driving, this can cause accidental damage to you and other people involved. When you’re driving under extreme emotions you tend to:

  • Drift into other lanes
  • Continue driving even when the traffic light is red or in a stop sign.
  • Rear-ending the car in front
  • Hitting a pedestrian

Aggressive driving can result in accidents which can put your life or other people's life at risk. It can also result in physical injuries and lawsuits, which can then again result in a court appearance, fines and jail time.

car drifting into other lane

Distracted driving can result in you drifting into other lanes

The best thing to do is to calm yourself first before driving or continue driving. Take a deep breath to relax. Keep in mind that before you take in control of the steering wheel and head over the road, you must first check if you are focused and relaxed. This is the key to safe driving.  Do not ever drive when you’re feeling problematic, angry, sad, excited and emotionally distressed.

Remember, every time you get along with traffic, you’re dealing with lots of other drivers who might also be experiencing the same emotions as you have. Don’t let your feelings get the better of you. When you encounter an angry driver, it’s best to give way other than be involved in road rage. If you're emotionally distracted, your judgment becomes clouded with the emotionally-charged idea, interaction or event. If you can’t help but think about certain situations and you feel that you won’t be able to focus, then don’t drive.

Man driving

The best thing to do is to calm yourself first before driving or continue driving. Take a deep breath to relax.

Before you drive, evaluate your emotions. Ask yourself if you can focus on driving on the road without being too emotional, giddy or angry. To drive safely, you need to be relaxed and in focus. Just think of what might happen if you drive aggressively and recklessly. You might end up in a hospital bed facing damage to property and/or charges. Or, you might end up sleeping behind bars. Always think of what might happen or the consequences of your reckless and distracted driving. Distractions are not just from tangible things such as phone, gadgets, or other people. It can also come from your own emotions. Learn how to handle your emotions very well, especially when driving.

>>> Click to get more helpful tips and advice for safe driving

Source: Hanna Miel Sanchez

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