If driving makes your heart race, your palms sweat, or your brain jump straight to worst-case scenario mode, you’re not alone. Driving anxiety is way more common than people admit — and no, it doesn’t mean you’re bad at driving. The good news? It is treatable.

First Things First: Figure Out What Actually Freaks You Out

Woman sitting in car with her head down on steering wheel.

Driving anxiety isn’t always about driving itself. Sometimes it’s:

Highways
Bridges or tunnels
Heavy traffic
Driving alone
Fear of having a panic attack and not being able to escape

If you have trouble distinguishing what it triggering your anxiety, therapy for anxiety helps you slow down, notice and name what’s really going on, which already takes some of the power away from the fear. It also gives you practical tools and support to respond more calmly and confidently over time.

Learn What Your Anxiety Is Doing (Because Anxiety Itself Is Not Dangerous)

One major “aha” moment in anxiety therapy is realizing that anxiety symptoms can feel frightening yet aren’t actually harmful. Your body is responding as if it’s protecting you, creating the flight or fight response that cause physical sensations and alarms even when you’re not facing real danger. Anxiety symptoms feel scary but aren’t actually harmful. Your body thinks it’s protecting you, even when you’re not in real danger.

That racing heart?

The tight chest?

The shaky feeling?

Uncomfortable, yes. And generally caused by stress hormones. But, this is a physical response to mental thoughts which in themselves are not dangerous. Knowing this can help driving anxiety feel much less threatening and significantly easier to recognize and manage.

Use Simple Calming Tools While You Drive

You don’t need fancy techniques to calm your nervous system; simple, gentle practices and small shifts in breath, posture, or attention can help you feel steadier. Anxiety therapy often focuses on simple stuff you can actually use in the car, like:

Slow, deep breathing
Relaxing your shoulders and jaw
Grounding yourself by noticing what you can see and hear
Reminding yourself, “I’ve felt this before and I got through it.”

Practicing these regularly can make a significant difference over time.

Take Baby Steps

One of the most effective tools used in anxiety therapy is gradual exposure — which basically means gently facing fears step by step, rather than forcing yourself to do everything all at once. Your brain can learn, over time and with consistent action, that you are safe. Baby steps are important rather than flooding your system with overwhelm. Successful small steps are more important done over time and way easier to manage.

You might start with:

Sitting in the car with the engine on or off
Driving around the block
Taking short, familiar routes

Each small win teaches your brain that driving doesn’t automatically mean danger, even when anxiety makes an appearance. You repeat these steps until you notice a steady sense of calm before progressing to the next challenge. It’s much like climbing a ladder — take one step, feel steady and supported, then move up to the next rung, and continue at your own pace.

Call Out the Drama Your Brain Is Creating

Anxiety loves to tell dramatic stories like: tall, urgent tales that make small worries seem like disasters.

“What if I panic and can’t stop?”
“What if I lose control?”
“What if something terrible happens?”

Anxiety therapy helps you challenge those thoughts and replace them with more realistic ones, like, “I’ve handled anxiety before,” or “I can pull over if I need to.” It also helps you learn to manage those physical symptoms should they arise.

Stick With It (Even on Hard Days)

Progress with driving anxiety isn’t always linear. Some days will feel easier than others — and that’s normal and to be expected. Consistency matters more than perfection: regular, small steps add up over time. Showing up and practicing, even when it’s uncomfortable or uncertain, builds genuine, lasting confidence behind the wheel.

When to Get Extra Support

IIf driving anxiety is limiting your life, working with a therapist experienced in anxiety therapy can be a real game changer. Therapy provides practical tools, steady support, and a judgment-free space where you can process fears and move forward at your own pace.

You’re Not Broken — You’re Human

Driving anxiety doesn’t define you, and it doesn’t have to control your life or your daily routines. With the right anxiety therapy strategies, steady patience, and a little self-compassion, it is possible to feel calmer, more confident, and more in control behind the wheel again.