Highway Driving Anxiety: A 6-Step Ladder You Can Print

Before you start

• Choose a quiet time of day, in daylight and good weather, for every step that involves moving.
• Know the next exit before you enter, and where you can leave if you want to. Plan the exit before you go, not on the ramp.
• Step 6 is one exit only. A short stretch that you finish calmly counts more than a long one you endure.

The 6 steps

From the parked car to one exit on the highway. Do each step for real, then come back when you are parked and rate how anxious you felt: 0 is calm, 10 is the most anxious you can imagine. The NHS advises staying with a step until the fear has dropped by about half, then moving on. Repeat or skip any step. There is no deadline. 0 of 6 done.

1. Sit in the parked car

   Two minutes, engine off. Notice one thing that feels steady.

   Park, switch the engine off and sit in the driver’s seat for two minutes. Rest your hands on the wheel. Name one thing that feels steady, such as the seat under you or your breathing. Rate your anxiety before and after.

   Step 1 done

   Anxiety 0 to 10

   Rate

   Before / 10After / 10Date

2. Engine on, stay parked

   Let the car idle for two minutes. No rush.

   Start the engine and stay parked for two minutes. Look at the road ahead and listen to the engine. This is the same car and the same seat as before, with one small change. Stay until the number settles a little.

   Step 2 done

   Anxiety 0 to 10

   Rate

   Before / 10After / 10Date

3. Drive around the block

   One familiar loop at a quiet time of day.

   Drive one familiar loop at a quiet time, such as a block near home. Keep it short. When you park, rate it and write one line: what went well? Repeat it on another day if the number is still high.

   Step 3 done

   Anxiety 0 to 10

   Rate

   Before / 10After / 10Date

4. A quiet road in daylight

   A road you know, in good weather.

   Choose a road you know, in daylight and good weather, a little longer than the block. Keep to a speed that feels comfortable and safe for the road. The goal is to feel the car moving at a steadier pace.

   Step 4 done

   Anxiety 0 to 10

   Rate

   Before / 10After / 10Date

5. Drive past a highway on-ramp

   Do not enter. Pass it and notice how you feel.

   Drive on the road that passes a highway on-ramp, but do not enter. Notice how you feel as you pass it. Repeat until passing it is dull. You can look at the on-ramp on a map first.

   Step 5 done

   Anxiety 0 to 10

   Rate

   Before / 10After / 10Date

6. One exit on the highway

   Right lane, off-peak, with a plan for the next exit.

   Enter at a quiet time, stay in the right-hand lane (left in the UK), and leave at the next exit. Decide on the exit before you start. Park afterwards, rate it, and write one line. One exit is a full step. Repeat it before you add a second.

   Step 6 done

   Anxiety 0 to 10

   Rate

   Before / 10After / 10Date

Your ticks and ratings are saved in this browser only and match the Step ladder builder.

If a step feels too big

If step 5 or 6 feels like too big a jump, put a step in between: ride the road as a passenger, or drive a long, quiet main road first. A step can always be split in two.

Questions