How to Overcome Panic Attacks While Driving: A Step-by-Step Guide
Panic attacks while driving are a common and distressing experience. Many people who struggle with panic disorder find that driving—especially on highways or in traffic—can trigger intense anxiety. In this article, we’ll explore how to effectively tackle this issue through exposure therapy, the role of safety behaviors, and reality testing, helping you regain confidence on the road.
Understanding Panic Attacks While Driving
For some, driving panic attacks are part of a larger pattern of anxiety that occurs in multiple situations. If this applies to you, addressing panic across all areas of life can be beneficial before working directly on driving exposure. However, for others, panic attacks while driving are an isolated issue, resembling a specific phobia. This guide will focus on how to directly address panic attacks in the car.
Step 1: Exposure Therapy – The Key to Recovery
To overcome driving-related panic attacks, we must create a corrective experience—one that teaches your brain that driving is not actually dangerous. Exposure therapy is the most effective method for achieving this. It involves gradually confronting the feared situation in a controlled way, without using safety behaviors that prevent real progress.
What Are Safety Behaviors?
Safety behaviors are actions taken to reduce anxiety in the moment, but they actually reinforce the fear long-term. Examples include:
Controlling your breathing excessively
Constantly sipping water while driving
Repeating reassuring phrases (e.g., "I'm okay, I'm okay")
Driving only at slow speeds or avoiding highways altogether
These behaviors act like an oven mitt—just as using an oven mitt prevents you from directly feeling if a pot has cooled down, safety behaviors prevent you from fully experiencing and overcoming panic while driving. To truly overcome the fear, these behaviors need to be gradually removed.
Step 2: Creating an Exposure Hierarchy
An exposure hierarchy is a structured way to desensitize yourself to panic while driving. Rather than jumping straight into the most terrifying situation (like driving in heavy traffic on a highway), we start small and build up.
Ways to Control Exposure Intensity:
Choose a Short, Safe Route – Find a highway stretch with a quick exit nearby, minimizing the feeling of being trapped.
Control Your Speed – Start by driving at a lower speed where you feel more in control.
Pick the Right Time of Day – Some people fear empty roads (feeling isolated), while others fear heavy traffic (feeling trapped). Choose an easier time initially.
Lane Selection – Many people feel safer driving in the right lane near the shoulder, where they can pull over if needed.
Gradually Increase Exposure – Over time, work up to higher speeds, busier roads, and staying in the left lane for longer periods.
Step 3: Reality Testing – Challenging Your Fears
Panic attacks are fueled by catastrophic thoughts, such as:
“I will faint while driving.”
“I will lose control and crash.”
“If I panic, I won’t be able to escape.”
Before and while driving, take a moment to reality test these fears:
Fainting Fear? We reality test this by observing that even while feeling dizzy, we can still function. We check if we can control our legs and press the pedals, test the strength of our grip on the steering wheel, and see that we can still stay within the lanes. It’s about realizing that you can feel this way and not only avoid fainting (you haven’t so far!) but also drive effectively.
Losing Control? We apply the same method—testing whether our body is responding to our commands. Can you still turn the wheel? Can you still use the brakes? This confirms that despite feeling out of control, you are still capable of driving safely.
Trapped? This fear is too broad to work with directly. We need to pinpoint what exactly feels threatening. Are you afraid of a medical emergency? Of panicking and not being able to pull over? Once we identify the specific fear, we can reality test it to prove that the danger is not as real as it seems.
Reality testing teaches your brain that these fears are exaggerated, helping to break the cycle of panic.
Step 4: Practicing Exposure and Building Confidence
Once you’ve prepared with reality testing, gradually expose yourself to driving under controlled conditions:
Start by sitting in the car near the highway entrance. Get familiar with the sensations of anxiety before actually driving.
Drive a short distance on a calm road. Keep your speed low and focus on observing your sensations without reacting.
Slowly increase the challenge. Over time, practice driving on busier roads, at higher speeds, and in different conditions.
Remove safety behaviors gradually. For example, if you rely on sipping water, try driving with only a small bottle instead of a full one.
Keep practicing until the fear subsides. Panic thrives on avoidance, so the more you confront it, the weaker it becomes.
Summary of Key Steps
To effectively overcome panic attacks while driving, follow these three core steps:
Identify Safety Behaviors – Recognize the habits you use to feel safer (e.g., controlling breath, sipping water, avoiding highways) and systematically remove them.
Identify Catastrophic Fears – Pinpoint the specific fears fueling your panic (e.g., fainting, losing control, feeling trapped) and reality test them.
Gradually Escalate Exposure – Slowly increase the intensity of driving situations in a controlled manner, using an exposure hierarchy to build confidence.
Final Thoughts
Overcoming panic attacks while driving is possible with the right approach. By eliminating safety behaviors, building an exposure hierarchy, and testing your fears, you can train your brain to stop associating driving with danger.
If you're looking for more guidance on overcoming panic, sign up for my FREE Panic Survival Guide Newsletter here: https://www.ajbcounseling.com/free-panic-survival-guide. Or, if you’d like one-on-one support, book a free consultation here: https://www.ajbcounseling.com/panic-home.
Safe driving!