Determining how individuals manage their driving anxiety

Anxiety caused by driving (e.g., driving anxiety) can greatly impact individuals' mobility and lead to partial or complete driving cessation. Previous research focused on the causes of driving anxiety and quantifying its severity. No studies have centered on how individuals manage their symptoms. The purpose of this study was to learn how and what management strategies individuals utilize to combat anxiety triggers while driving. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with individuals from Jan-March 2024. Participants had to be ≥18 years of age at time of study, reside in the United States, and experienced or were concerned about their driving anxiety. Participants were recruited through email and advertisements using non-probability sampling techniques. The interviews were conducted using a standardized, pilot tested script and were audio recorded and transcribed. A thematic analysis with inductive coding was performed to determine themes. Ten female participants (mean age 40.8 years) were recruited. Five themes emerged: past trauma, 2) environmental factors and their inability to control them, 3) within and out-of-vehicle coping strategies (subthemes: distraction, reliance on others, and avoidance), 4) out of control in unfamiliar situations or fear of hurting self, others, or property, and 5) honoring responsibilities, being independent and maintaining relationships. While management strategies were individualistic, most participants attempted to distract themselves from their feelings, relied on others to deal with their symptoms, or avoided situations that aggravated their anxiety. These management strategies enabled participants to continue driving in spite of their symptoms and allowed them to honor commitments, maintain independence, and sustain relationships. However, these strategies could also inadvertently impact individuals' safety while driving and/or their mental health. These findings could inform clinical practice and future research.