How many in the UK and US fear getting behind the wheel?

Date Posted 7th October 2024
Read Time 7 min read

When it comes to driving, many people feel nervous, anxious, or downright scared. Whether it’s the idea of navigating busy city streets or the fear of being on highways, fear of driving is more common than you might think.

To uncover, how many Brits and Americans have this fear, we’ve analysed Google search data in the UK and US, and compared this to the population numbers, the results may scare you.

1 in 12 Brits have a fear of driving

According to keyword research, 8.36% of Brits search for fear-of-driving-related terms each year. That means around 1 in 12 people in the UK are actively searching for help, advice, or information related to driving anxiety. In total these fear-of-driving related terms amass to 54,980 searches across the year. On average, every month there are 4,581 searches.

The UK has a dense network of smaller roads and plenty of roundabouts. Not to mention many of the UK roads date back thousands of years and were originally built for pedestrians or horses. And, if you take in account public transport is more accessible than the US, meaning less people needing to drive, it’s not so surprising that many Brits might be scared of driving.

7 in 100 Americans are fearful of driving

In comparison, 7.76% of Americans search for fear-of-driving-related keywords each year, or 7 in 100. Although slightly lower than the UK, this still represents a large number of searches – a total of 226,560 a year. On average there are 18,800 Americans searching for these fear-of-related driving terms a month.

In contrast to the UK, US roads are wider and often long stretches of open highways. So, in theory, less opportunities for things to go wrong and might explain the slightly lower numbers of searches compared to the UK. But, highway driving might lead to other driving anxieties, such as fear of long-distance or high-speed driving.

Interestingly, October sees the biggest increase of Americans searching for driving phobia related terms. Comparing October’s searches (25,100) to the monthly average (18,800) this jumps by a huge 87%. In the UK, searches are high for October too at 5,160 – 13% higher than the average. This makes October the second-highest month for searches in the UK.

October is known as the spooky month because of Halloween, which might be making those think more about their phobias, or even try to tackle it. October also brings in a new season, and new driving conditions that can be challenging, such as lower-lying sun and wet weather.

In the UK, June is the highest month for fear-of-driving related terms, increasing by 15% compared to the average. Possibly as summer travel plans kick in, making driving more top-of-mind.

CitiesAnnual sum of searches% of city searching for terms
Swansea52044%
Wrexham46040%
Bangor (NI)36038%
Lincoln53024%
Derry36023%
Lisburn19022%
Milton Keynes61022%
Newport12022%
Darlington26019%
Brighton & Hove48019%
Solihull27019%
Bedford48017%
Aberdeen57016%
Dundee34016%
Bournemouth59013%
Portsmouth54013%
Hull47012%
Plymouth64012%
Norwich59011%
Swindon39010%

Some cities experience more anxiety than others. Swansea tops the list with the highest percentage of people searching for driving-related fears, with an impressive 44% of the population Googling terms related to fear of driving. In second place is another Welsh city – Wrexham with 40% of this city searching for fear of driving related terms. Bangor in Northern Ireland places third, with 38% of the population Googling terms related to driving fears.

In contrast, Swindon sees a relatively lower percentage, with 10% of its population engaging in these searches.

StateAnnual sum of searches% of state searching for terms
Alaska6609.52%
North Dakota6908.14%
Vermont6808.10%
Wyoming6107.07%
Montana8606.99%
West Virginia1,3106.68%
South Dakota7006.67%
Oklahoma2,8206.65%
Hawaii9806.45%
Ohio7,9306.45%
Rhode Island9106.36%
California27,9105.53%
Massachusetts5,3505.45%
Maine9805.44%
Delaware8905.39%
Michigan6,3005.38%
Kentucky2,8605.37%
Indiana4,3305.35%
Arizona4,7505.16%

On the other side of the pond, 7.76% of Americans search for fear-of-driving-related terms every year. In Alaska, searches are higher than the American average and the highest state for Googling these terms at 9.52%. North Dakota is the second highest state, with 8.14% of the population Googling terms related to fearful driving. In third place is Vermont with 8.10% of the state searching for these terms.

The state with the least amount of residents Googling fear-of-driving related terms is Arizona with 5.16%.

Why do some people have a fear of driving?

While Google search data doesn’t tell the whole story, it provides a useful window into how many people might be dealing with driving anxiety in both the UK and the US. The fact that such a significant portion of the population in both countries actively searches for help suggests that fear of driving is not just a niche issue. But, what causes this fear and anxiety? We spoke to Dr Carolyne Keenan, a Registered Psychologist to understand why.

‘Driving anxiety or fear of driving, including specific phobias like amaxophobia (fear of being in a vehicle) and vehophobia (fear of driving), often stems from a combination of past experiences, cognitive factors, and a heightened sense of vulnerability.’ Dr Carolyne Keenan adds, ‘It is a big responsibility to be in charge of such a large piece of machinery and that can feel overwhelming.’

For some however, the fear might arise after a traumatic event, such as a car accident. Dr Keenan says, ‘This can trigger a fear response when they think about or attempt driving.’ For others, anxiety might arise from a sense of losing control, or the unpredictability of traffic and road conditions.

Cognitive distortions, as Dr Carolyne Keenan points out, “like overestimating danger or underestimating one’s ability to handle driving,” play a big role too. Even casual remarks from others, meant as jokes, can have a lasting impact, chipping away at confidence behind the wheel.

How to overcome a driving fear

Whilst these phobias can create significant distress, they can be managed. Dr Carolyne Keenan has provided some effective tips to manage and overcome a driving anxiety.

  1. Start Small: Begin with short, low-stress drives in familiar, quiet areas. Gradually increase the distance and complexity as your confidence builds.
  1. Practice Relaxation Techniques: Deep breathing, meditation, or progressive muscle relaxation can help calm your nerves before and during driving. These techniques reduce anxiety and help you stay focused.
  1. Use Positive Self-Talk: Replace negative or fearful thoughts with positive, encouraging ones. Remind yourself that you are capable, and that most drives are routine and safe.
  1. Take a Defensive Driving Course: Improving your driving skills can give you a sense of control and preparedness, making driving feel less intimidating.
  1. Gradual Exposure: Gradually increase the level of driving challenges, such as moving from residential roads, to main roads and then to motorways, to slowly build tolerance to higher-stress situations.
  1. Consider Therapy: If the fear is significant, working with a therapist who can offer cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) for driving anxiety can help address the underlying causes of driving anxiety and provide practical tools for managing it.

Taking it one step at a time, with a focus on progress rather than perfection, can help you gradually overcome your fear of driving. For those looking to ease back into driving or seeking a new vehicle to help feel more secure behind the wheel, car leasing can be a flexible and convenient option.

Methodology

We analysed UK and US Google searches for fear-of-driving related terms such as ‘fear of driving’, ‘driving phobia’, ‘amaxophobia’, ‘vehophobia’, ‘driving anxiety’ and ‘driving anxiety is ruining my life’. The sum of all these searches for one year was totalled for both UK and US. To uncover how many people in the UK and US potentially have a driving phobia we compared the annual searches to Google’s reach in that area. The reach is an estimate of the number of people using Google in that geographical area.


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