The Safe Driver

Driving stressed is your choice

I’ve often given advice to the new instructors I’m training at Young Drivers of Canada about how they should plan their day. Starting their days off with either a good student or a polite student will always help them get off to a good start. It allows them to enjoy the opening of what could be a very busy day. I’ve also suggested they end their day with the same type of student. This way they go home feeling good about their day. Do you get a chance to do the same thing during your day?

It was a beautiful day one morning that allowed me to feel good about my day ahead. As I was driving to work, it was a pleasure to help my fellow motorists arrive safely at their destination. It wasn’t the same for the driver behind me. On my daily travels each morning, I pass a section of road where the right lane ends. I usually let one or two drivers into my lane in front of me, just like I did that morning. Nothing wrong with being a courteous driver, right? The driver behind me, however, didn’t feel as generous. He rode my bumper to block the drivers in the right hand lane. Was he trying to be miserable? Why would you want to start your day in that way, especially on such a warm, sunny Friday morning?

We all know your mood affects everything you do. By starting off in a positive mood, it helps to make your day more pleasant. If you’re in a good mood, you tend to drive in a more courteous manner. It’ll help you ignore those little things that can build up to frustrate you. Being frustrated while driving is a huge mental distraction. Being in a negative mood allows us to look for all the negative things that are going around us. That will often make the average things into negative things. Sometimes, the negative things we see when we’re in a negative mood don’t really exist. Our mind makes them up.

Finishing your day in a positive manner will allow you the opportunity to unwind after a long day at work. Your drive home can become more relaxing if you’re happier. So now you have a plan for each day. Who knows, maybe it’ll make a difference in your driving community if drivers are happier at the start and end of each day.