For some people, driving can be quite a stressful or nerve-wracking experience – especially when heading somewhere new.
Roads you’ve never seen before, confusing lane systems, and unexpected bus lanes can catch people off guard so it’s no surprise that a large portion of the population feel nervous before setting off. Research from car finance brokers Zuto revealed that 30% of women and 10% of men feel nervous when driving somewhere new.
Because of this, Zuto decided to put together some top tips to help nervous drivers before heading out on the road:
1. Prepare your car for the journey
Although there are many things that are out of your control on the roads, you can make sure that your car is prepped beforehand. To do this, make sure you fill up with fuel, check your tyres are in a good condition, and make sure your car is regularly serviced and in tip-top condition. This will put your mind at ease that your car is ready for the journey ahead!
2. Make sure you’re ready for the trip
Before you set off, make sure that you’re well-rested and hydrated. If you’re feeling tired or stressed before you set off, the rest of the journey will be far worse than if you wait 15/30 minutes to gather your thoughts and have a bite to eat or drink.
3. Use a Sat Nav device and plan your journey beforehand
Remove some of the stress of not knowing where you’re going or which roads to take by both planning your journey beforehand and by using your Sat Nav device throughout the journey. This will help calm your nerves as it removes a lot of the “unknowns” from a journey to a new destination. Remain aware of road layouts and the fact some indicated roads may not be suitable for your vehicle.
4. Listen to music or a podcast
Listening to music has been shown to have a positive impact on calming nerves, especially if the music is upbeat or calming – some upbeat pop tunes or calming classical music could be perfect for helping to settle the nerves! A podcast you enjoy could also take your mind off your nerves whilst embarking on the journey.
5. Develop good driving habits
To help ensure your drive goes as smoothly as possible, ensure you always follow good driving practices as this will give you confidence in your own driving ability and help settle your nerves.
Commenting on the research, Lucy Sherliker, Head of Customer at Zuto said, “The modern-day society which we live in is becoming increasingly technologically advanced. Because of this, we wanted to research how reliant drivers are on Sat Nav technology and what difference their use of them makes in how drivers feel about travelling to a new destination.
“We know that a lot of drivers experience stress or nerves when travelling to a new location, so we hope these tips help put minds at ease.”