by California Casualty | Auto Insurance Info, Helpful Tips, Safety, Travel |
From traffic jams to reckless drivers, it can be stressful on the road. When you’re also juggling life’s daily demands, the stresses can leave you frazzled behind the wheel. Stressed driving not only affects your personal wellbeing, but it poses risks to road safety. Here’s how to bring back a sense of calm and control — and crush your daily commute.
How Stress Affects the Brain
Stress is the body’s reaction to potential threats. It affects your frontal lobe, where you set goals, make plans, and keep your emotions in control. It also impacts the hippocampus, which stores your memories. Importantly, stress causes a chemical reaction known as “fight or flight.” When you’re stuck in traffic or upset about being cut off, there’s often nowhere to go. That’s when your emotions can turn to road rage.
Driving While Stressed
Stress can cause mental and physical symptoms that affect not only how you feel but how you drive. Recognizing these symptoms can help you take steps to manage your stress.
Physical Signs of Stress
You may notice your heart beating faster or your palms getting sweaty. Those are common symptoms of stress. You also may feel muscle tension in your neck, shoulders and back. Biting nails, tapping fingers, and other repetitive motions also are indicators of stress. You may even get tension headaches or feel unusually tired after a short drive.
Distracted Driving
Stress often leaves you distracted. When you’re worrying about traffic, other drivers, or being late, you’re not focusing your attention fully on the road. Your concentration is reduced. You could have difficulty with decision-making and slower reaction times as a result. If you’re sitting in traffic and you pick up your cell phone to complain about the stress, that adds another level of distraction.
Irritability
When you are stressed, you may feel easily annoyed or angered by minor inconveniences. You start to engage in aggressive driving behaviors such as tailgating, speeding or frequent lane changes. This can escalate to emotions that are hard to control.
Tips to Reduce Your Stress While Driving
Stress may be unavoidable, but you can take steps that help you manage it. Follow these tips to reduce your stress behind the wheel.
- Plan ahead. Know the route you’re taking and plan your journey in advance. Be aware of alternate routes should you encounter traffic or road closures. Bringing the kids along? Pack books, snacks, and games to keep them entertained so that they do not add stress to your trip.
- Leave early. Allowing extra time for your journey can help you better handle the unexpected, such as traffic, weather, or detours. When you leave early, you are less likely to worry about being late.
- Set your playlist. Research shows that listening to music can enhance immune system function and lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Create a mindful playlist and avoid news or any content that might stress you out. Sing along to your favorite tunes for a mood boost.
- Adjust your posture. Improving your posture can increase oxygen flow, decrease tension in the neck and shoulders, and reduce physical discomfort. Adjust your seat and mirrors to maintain a comfortable and relaxed driving position.
- Breathe. Inhaling through your nose and into your belly is a proven way to reduce stress. Deep breathing sends a calming message to your brain, helping you relax. If you’re feeling stressed, try this breathing exercise: breathe in for a count of 8, contract one muscle group (like your neck and shoulders), then exhale and relax. Repeat for muscle groups in your neck, shoulders, and back as needed.
- Change your perspective. Managing your thoughts can help control your emotions. Instead of getting angry at a driver who cuts you off, think, “I’m glad no one got hurt.” Don’t let a stranger’s actions affect your mood.
- Pull over if needed. If stress becomes overwhelming while driving, don’t risk it. Find a safe location to pull over and take a break until you feel calmer.
- Stay fueled. Keep your car filled with gas to avoid the added stress of running low. When planning your trip, make sure you know when you plan to fuel up.
- Maintain and insure your vehicle. Make sure your vehicle is well maintained so it is less likely to break down and leave you stranded. In addition, protect your vehicle with the right insurance coverage. This will give you peace of mind for your journeys ahead. Safe travels.
This article is furnished by California Casualty, providing auto and home insurance to education professionals, law enforcement officers, firefighters, and nurses. Get a quote at 1.866.704.8614 or www.calcas.com.
by California Casualty | Auto Insurance Info, Safety |
May 24 is National Road Trip Day!
As May comes to a close, classes are ending, the days are getting longer, and temperatures are slowly beginning to rise. You know what else that means? Vacation. Summer is calling and many American families are planning to spend their free time on the road relaxing and enjoying the sun.
Traveling, in all forms, is at its peak in the summer months. Road tripping and RV-ing are currently on the rise, so much so that Fox News reports that 73% of Americans would rather road trip than fly. Aside from all of the scenic views that are available when traveling by vehicle, travelers feel a sense of freedom by land, with the knowledge that they can stop or change their destination at any point in time instead of following a strict schedule like you would in an airport.
Whether your destination is the beach, the mountains, or just the open road, it is critical that your vehicle is ready to make the journey with you. So before you jam all of your luggage in the trunk, be sure to check the following in preparation for your summer road trip adventure:
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Periodically check and test batteries for proper charging. Summer heat drains batteries faster than the cold of winter.
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Check the air conditioning system for leaks and proper coolant.
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Check the tires for tread and proper inflation.
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Be sure your cooling system has the proper anti-freeze/coolant and all belts, hoses and the water pump are properly working. Never open a hot radiator cap; the liquid inside is a scalding 200 degrees or hotter.
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Verify the viscosity of your motor oil will stand up to hot weather days, 10W-30 or 10W-40.
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Make sure the spare tire is inflated and there is a jack and tire changing tool.
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Test your windshield wipers and change them if they are streaking.
Consumer Reports advises that, as well as checking your vehicle before leaving for your destination, you should also travel with a basic safety kit that consists of:
- Cell phone and spare battery
- First aid kit
- Fire extinguisher
- Warning light or reflective triangles
- Tire gauge
- Jumper cables
- Foam sealant for flat tires
We don’t like to think that things could go wrong on vacation, but you never know what you will run into on the open road and that is why it is important to be prepared. Here at California Casualty we proudly support our customers and want you all to have a fun and safe summer full of road trip adventures, so before you hit the road, make sure that you and your vehicle are adequately protected for the unexpected you may encounter far from home.
Current customers call a California Casualty advisor for an auto policy review at 1.800.800.9410 or visit mycalcas.com/customerservice. If you are not a customer please contact us 1.866.704.8614 or visit www.mycalcas.com to request a FREE Auto Insurance quote.
Where do you plan on traveling this summer? Or do you have a dream road trip destination? Comment below and give us ideas for our summer travels! And if you are wanting to hit the road, but need a little help as to where check out Fox New’s Top 15 things to do on America’s travel bucket list.
Happy Travels!
More information for this article can be found at:
https://fxn.ws/2Ev0SYm
https://bit.ly/2K2jq5Y
by California Casualty | Safety |
In many areas, the weather has been pretty good so far this year. But, this week started a flurry (pun intended) of winter weather, and I thought it would be a good time to recap some important safety tips for cold weather!
Winter Care Care Checklist – if you haven’t prepped your car for cold weather, you still have time!
What to do when your pipes freeze – It happens to the best of us (or, at least, it happened to me!). A quick guide to getting your pipes thawed without flooding your house.
Carbon monoxide safety – Firing up your heaters can lead to hidden dangers. Here are some tips for CO prevention.
Driving Safety in Snow and Ice – When the snow and ice come down, the roads get slippery. Here are some tips for making that commute safely.
by California Casualty | Safety |
Along with hay rides, cooling temperatures, and brilliant foliage, Fall can bring some unexpected dangers to your commute. In late October and November, states across the nation see the fall mating season for white-tailed deer begin.
With this comes significant danger to drivers. During this time, deer become very active and unpredictable, covering large areas in search of a mate. A result of this is that drivers will often see groups of deer crossing roads.
This generates tens of thousands of deer-vehicle crashes every year, resulting in millions of dollars in damage. To help prevent this happening to you, please review the tips below:
- If you spot a deer, slow down and pay attention to possible sudden movement. If the deer doesn’t move, don’t go around it. Wait for the deer to pass and the road is clear.
- Pay attention to “Deer Crossing” signs. They are there for a reason. Slow down when traveling through areas known to have a high concentration of deer so you will have ample time to stop if necessary.
- If you are traveling after dark, use high beams when there is no oncoming traffic. High beams will be reflected by the eyes of deer on or near roads.
- If you see one deer, be on guard: others may be in the area. Deer typically move in family groups at this time of year and cross roads single-file.
- Don’t tailgate. Remember: the driver in front of you might have to stop suddenly to avoid hitting a deer.
- Always wear a seatbelt, as required by law. Drive at a safe and sensible speed, taking into account weather, available lighting, traffic, curves and other road conditions.
- If a collision appears inevitable, do not swerve to avoid impact. The deer may counter-maneuver suddenly. Brake firmly, but stay in your lane. Collisions are more likely to become fatal when a driver swerves to avoid a deer and instead collides with oncoming traffic or a fixed structure along the road.
- Report any deer-vehicle collision to a local law enforcement agency immediately.
by California Casualty | Safety |
We are in the height of prom season, with high school graduations right around the corner. This means that the chances of teens being involved in serious auto accidents increases significantly. Our friends at Impact Teen Drivers have been working tirelessly to raise awareness of the dangers that face teens who drive distracted or impaired, and to help shed light on some of these startling statistics, we want to share them here as well:
– Teen driver crashes are the leading cause of death for our nation’s youth
– The Fatality rate for drivers 16-19 is 4 times higher than the national average
– 48% of teens have reported talking on a cell phone while driving
It’s no secret that driving while talking on a cell phone or impaired by drugs or alcohol dramatically increases the risk of injury and death while driving. Please speak with your teens about the dangers involved – especially during this time of year, when the excitement of prom and graduations can lead to them making poor driving decisions.
