Guidelines to Controlling Emotions

Self-control.

Since strong emotional responses are learned, you also can learn to control them. The following guidelines may help you keep emotions from unduly affecting your driving abilities:

• Understand your own emotional makeup. Limited self-awareness may be the cause of fear or other strong emotional responses. The more you know about yourself and why you act a certain way, the better you can control your actions. If you can predict the emotional responses of other drivers, you can better prepare your responses.
• Identify situations that tend to upset you. People tend to become excited, afraid, or angry when they are faced with threatening situations. If a situation can be handled easily or does not concern you, it is not likely to lead to your being upset, and you can prepare for it more effectively. Effective trip planning can prevent numerous problems. Many traffic situations are frustrating because we fail to allow enough time for trips. In contrast, the pleasure of driving generally increases when friends are along.
• Expect other drivers to make mistakes. The more you drive, the more you will realize that all drivers make mistakes. They may be distracted or inattentive. Other drivers may not have developed the skill or obtained the knowledge for save vehicle operation. You need to realize that others’ mistakes may be ones that you have made or may make in the future.
• Emotions are contagious. Quite often, one emotion leads to another. If you yell at another person, they could become angry and take their anger out on someone else. That person, in turn, may get mad and take it out on someone else. The same thing can happen in traffic situations. Realize that smiles and courtesy can be spread among drivers just as easily as frustrations and anger can. If you know what to expect, you can plan to overcome the errors and frustrations of others.
• Direct your emotions to actions rather than the individual. It is easy to become frustrated with another person or driver without knowing exactly why. Drivers have different goals. Some drivers may be in a hurry. Remember, that other drivers do not know your goals or have anything against you.
• Delay driving when upset. Most emotional upsets are temporary. If you must drive, wait until the strength of the emotion has faded so that you are more likely to drive safely and courteously.
• Unwind. When an upset occurs while you are driving, find a place to stop and unwind. Take a short walk. Take a few deep breaths. You might choose such a time to stop for refreshments.
• Ask someone else to drive. Emotional upsets such as grief and anxiety may last several days. If a driver feels depressed or any other significant emotion, it may be wise to have another person drive. In some cases, it may be best to use public transportation.

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