Caitlin Fitzsimmons
Driving anxiety is reasonably common and negatively affects people's lives, yet most sufferers don't seek help, researchers say.
Clinical psychologist Jacqui Triffitt, who presented a workshop on driving anxiety at the APS College of Clinical Psychologists conference on Sunday, said she has worked with people with driving anxiety since the late 1990s.
"I call it 'driving anxiety', but that can vary from heightened anxiety while driving, to avoiding driving altogether," said Dr Triffitt of Hill Street Psychology in Hobart.
"I think it is under-reported, people might not put their hand up for it because we have this expectation that everyone should be able to drive and people can always find alternative ways of travelling or relying on other people to drive them places."
She often works with people who have had a motor vehicle accident and lost their driving confidence.
Another common scenario is an elderly woman whose male partner was the main driver for the family.
"He's become sick or ill and the older female driver needs to drive again for independence and convenience but things like traffic conditions have changed," she said.
There are many people who never got their driving licence because they could not overcome anxiety in the learning process, while others might drive generally but avoid freeways, bridges or the CBD.
Figures from the NSW Roads and Maritime Services show men are more likely to hold a driver licence than women, across all age groups.