How to tame your inner Mr. Hyde while driving.

My friend, Anthony, is very mellow and always has a calm demeanor, so I asked him if there were situations or circumstances that riled him up. He said when he gets behind the wheel, his usual patience seems to vanish and tension rises. “I don’t know why I do this. I’m not angry or stressed out, and I don’t feel that way at other times.”

Who among us can’t relate to Anthony’s feelings? It’s extremely common to experience stress, impatience, and anger while driving, but this phenomenon carries consequences, some obvious and others subtle.

According to a recent AAA study, 80 percent of people drive aggressively at least once a year, 51 percent tailgate, 12 percent cut off other drivers, and 3 percent bump or ram other vehicles. Property damage and injury are common outcomes of vehicular anger, and violent interactions are occurring with greater frequency.

What stirs up our hidden Mr. Hyde while driving? Unmanaged stress. Triggers can be traffic itself, fear of being late, agitation with reckless drivers, impatience, or festering personal issues.

As a driver, I’ve had my own moments in bumper-to-bumper traffic, but as a health coach, I’m keenly aware of the serious adverse effects driving on edge heaps on our bodies. For one, tense driving will shallow and stunt your natural breathing pattern, causing tightness in your chest and neck muscles. This creates muscular imbalances as well as physical tension and even pain. As if that isn’t punishment enough, your fight-or-flight state is triggered, causing your heart rate and blood pressure to elevate. If this happens frequently, your immune system can weaken, sleep is diminished, healing and recovery are slowed, and you’re often in a rotten mood. 

However, we aren’t powerless in keeping our emotions and behaviors in check. The Department of Transportation has compiled the following actions to help us be the sane and calm drivers we all want to be.

Breathe—At a red light, in traffic, or while zipping right along, take relaxed, deep breaths to calm both body and mind. This is a favorite of mine, and I literally drive slower when I do it. I typically do a series of inhales and exhales lasting five seconds each.

Be present—While it’s incredibly easy to go elsewhere in our minds, stay alert, keeping your mind on the road. Mindful presence when driving will give you extra seconds to slow down or avoid an accident. 

Leave early—Allow time for unexpected events. This will minimize anxiety about being late and eliminate the need to rush through traffic.

Change your challenge—Instead of challenging yourself to get ahead of the other guy before the next exit, choose to challenge your patience instead. Proving to yourself that you have the endurance to drive in the “slow lane” or wait in line for the upcoming exit, means you’ve won the challenge and gotten ahead of all the other stressed-out drivers psychologically.
 
Handle conflict with maturity— When other drivers behave rudely, don’t lash out at them. Tempting as it may be, mirroring their aggressive, reckless behavior only escalates your risk of being involved in an accident or altercation. 
 
Being proactive in reducing stress and its associated bodily responses, especially while commandeering 3000 pounds of steel on wheels is a worthy endeavor. As a driver, what are your thoughts about the points I’ve made and recommended action steps, and what tips would you add to help us find our Zen while on the road?