Pull Over and Settle: A Printable Card for Panic While Driving
What to do when panic hits at the wheel: how to stop safely, what to do once you are parked, and your own list of safe places to stop. Free, printable.
While the car is moving
Your one job is a safe stop.
Ease off and give yourself room
Slow down gradually with both hands on the wheel. Leave extra space ahead. No sudden braking and no sudden lane changes.
Signal and pick a place to stop
A side street, a car park or a lay-by. On a motorway or freeway, do not stop in a live lane: drive on at a steady, lower speed to the next exit or service area. If you miss your exit, take the next one. Do not reverse.
If you truly cannot drive on, treat it as a breakdown
Hazard lights on, stop as far from the traffic as you can, and call for help. If you cannot get out safely, stay in the car with your seat belt on. This is a last resort.
Park and hold the car still
Park, set the parking brake and take your hands off the wheel. Hazard lights are a warning to others, not a reason to stop somewhere unsafe.
Once you have stopped
Now it is fine to slow everything down.
Check the spot
Phone within reach. On a shoulder, stay buckled in with hazards on and do not step out into traffic.
Rule out a medical emergency first
Call your emergency number for chest pain that feels tight or squeezing, pain spreading to the arms, neck or jaw, severe trouble breathing, or pale, blue or grey lips or skin. Do not drive yourself to hospital. If you are not sure, get help.
Breathe slowly
Sit upright. In through your nose and out through your mouth, counting from 1 to 5. You may not reach 5 at first. Do not force it.
Look outward
Name what you can see and hear around you. Count backwards from 100 in threes.
Be gentle with your thoughts
Tell yourself it will pass and that a panic attack is not life-threatening. Avoid telling yourself to stop panicking or to relax.
Stay put until it settles
Most attacks last 5 to 20 minutes, according to the NHS. If you still feel shaky afterwards, wait longer, call someone or ask someone else to drive.
My safe places to stop
Two or three on the roads you drive most: a car park, a side street, a service area. Saved in this browser only.
Rules for where you may stop differ by country and road. The motorway and breakdown advice follows the UK Highway Code, so check your own driver handbook. If you cannot tell whether it is a panic attack or something else, get medical help. This card is not medical advice.
Sources
Read on 2026-10-18.
How to use it
- Read the card once at home, so the first step is already familiar if you ever need it.
- Write two or three safe places to stop on the roads you drive most. They are saved in this browser.
- Print the card and keep it in the glovebox or the door pocket. Read it only when the car is stopped.
Read the guide
- Anxiety Attack While Driving: How to Stop and Calm DownPanic at the wheel? Learn how to stop safely, what to do once parked, how to get back in the car afterwards and how to be ready if it happens again.
- Scared to Drive on the Highway? How to Do It Step by StepA step-by-step plan if you are scared to drive on the highway, freeway or motorway: learn the route, practice merging, drive one exit, with a plan for the day.