In most places, driving has gotten more stressful and congested. Have you found that driving has transformed into a more stressful experience in the past 10 years? Is this because we are more distracted than ever before? Are there more people talking on their cell phones while driving? Are there more people driving under the influence.... of caffeine? Has "Road Rage" become more an issue during this same period of time? What is the connection?
More people are driving and there are more people driving longer distances for employment, shopping, and family visits. Even terrorism has changed driving patterns because air travel, and other forms of public transit, have under gone significant transformation with more people opting for automobile travel. People are more distracted by communication and entertainment technologies. Nights and weekends, when many cellular plans allow for "Free Calling," have become prime times for people to drive around and chat on their phones while supposedly focusing on their driving.
In the past 15 years, there has been an explosion of coffee and expresso locations, and that has increased the numbers of "caffeinated" people, many of whom decide to drive under the influence of caffeine? Have you seen more people eating and consuming beverages as they drive down the road? Come to think of it, during "commute times" have you observed people engaged in other activities while driving like: dressing, putting on make-up, shaving, grooming, reading books or magazines, disciplining children, or even doing business? Do witnessing these activities make you feel less safe as you drive down the road with these distracted drivers?
The world has gotten more stressful. The "Information Age" has created technologies that keep many of us "plugged in" 24/7 with the increasing expectations that we work more and stay in communication, even while driving. There are other choices which would reduce distracted driving, but many people have not gotten the idea of the importance of focused attention while operating an automobile.
Just the increased levels of stress have created distractions that take people away from focused attention to their driving or their work or their communication with family. A large part of our population finds that stress has affected the way they rest and sleep. This causes many people to rely on that cup of coffee to get them going in the morning. I have one friend who claims that he has only one cup of coffee per day. He gets it at 7:00 AM on his way to work and he has a special mug that he uses. It holds about 40 ounces of coffee and takes him most of the morning to finish, but it is only one cup. More intense expresso drinks increases the level of caffeine in many drivers. Waking people up with coffee to get them better focused on their driving or at work has become the prevailing attitude, but this also leads to higher levels of anxiety, fear, anger, reduced sleep, and generally higher levels of irritability that can make "Road Rage" closer to the surface for many drivers. I am not sure that the good outweighs the bad in this driving scenario.
It is also interesting to note that many people who feel anxious, tense, angry, and hyper sensitive can begin to self-medicate themselves to feel more normal. Using alcohol, prescriptions, or illegal drugs are ways that people cope with their stress and this can lead to addiction. Besides being dangerous to have drivers, under the influence, operating their cars, trucks, and motorcycles, it gets very expensive in terms of health care costs and other losses due to substance abuse. This is not the best solution in dealing with stress and anxiety.
There are no easy answers. Certainly, there are individuals that can tolerate higher levels of stress or caffeine. But our culture has adopted many newer attitudes that may not stand the test of time and may not be proven to be sensible or healthy in the long term. I ask is that you consider reducing the dangers of driving by managing your own levels of stress and consider reducing the levels of distracted driving in your own vehicle.
Driving safety is in our hands. It is our responsibility to be attentive to our driving as the number one consideration when we are behind the wheel. Please do not wait until something bad happens before you wake up and do something. Remind the young drivers in your family that these are issues that especially can impact them.
If you are looking for coaching to manage your stress and anxiety regarding driving, please investigate the Professional Stress Management Coaching Program
L. John Mason, Ph.D. is the author of the best selling "Guide to Stress Reduction." Since 1977, he has offered Executive Coaching and Training.
Please visit the Stress Education Center's website at Stress, Stress Management, Coaching, and Training for articles, free ezine signup, and learn about the new telecourses that are available. If you would like information or a targeted proposal for training or coaching, please contact us at (360) 593-3833.
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