Steering Clear of Driving Phobia

Dr. L. Jerome Oziel, an associate professor of psychiatry at USC and a driving phobia expert, offers these tips for newcomers and natives who want to comfortably join the bumper crop of drivers on Los Angeles freeways and streets.

1. Start by driving in your immediate neighborhood. Take it slow and easy. Drive to a nearby grocery store or dry cleaners. Master all the turns and light signals. And steer away from rush hour.

2. Eventually build up to heading outside familiar ground. Drive to a friend’s or relative’s house via surface streets. Give yourself plenty of time to get there. If you panic, pull off to the side of the road and take a few deep breaths. Think positive. Remember, the streets are friends, not fiends.

3. Understand how the Los Angeles freeway system works. For instance, U.S. 101 is also known as the Santa Ana, Hollywood and Ventura freeways; Interstate 405 is more commonly called the San Diego Freeway, and Interstate 10 does double duty as San Bernardino and Santa Monica freeways. Become familiar with freeways as well as entrance and exit ramps one at a time, if possible.

4. Before heading anywhere, take 10 to 15 minutes to consult maps and plot directions. Write them down. And remember to drive during non-rush hours. Know where you’re headed and understand the flow of traffic so you don’t feel entrapped and smothered by the rapid rush of cars.

5. Think positive, not negative, thoughts about driving. Don’t think about being involved in an accident. Think about the freedom and quicker routes that freeways offer.