How can mindfulness help drivers regulate their emotional responses to stress?

How can employers reduce road risk for drivers, and show that they put people first and care about their safety?

A good employer can support their employees by having flexible work hours and making sure they understand their expectations, and praise them when they meet them.

But above all, there's one employer competency that trumps all of these, and that is – to be a good listener.

It doesn't mean an employer needs to agree with every suggestion their employee makes or fix every problem, but it does mean they need to listen and pay attention.

Noticing and being aware of the signs of stress or other mental health issues among employees, enables employers to help manage the cause rather than simply condemning the behaviour.

Risky behaviours brought about by high levels of stress and emotional reactivity while driving can cause:

• Tunnel vision – you're less likely to notice what's happening around you
• Slower reaction times and impaired precision
• Feeling detached from yourself and your surroundings – this can encourage risk taking and reduced speed awareness.
• Road rage – one of the most dangerous emotions which can lead to a chain of negative choices and events.

Research has shown that driving in an extremely emotional state – experiencing anything from anger to sadness or despair – can be as dangerous as driving when you are tired. Your emotions can be even more distracting than using a mobile phone while driving [1].

Intense emotions influence your thoughts, attitude and problem-solving skills. All necessary skills when you navigate the roads – it takes only seconds to miss the warning signs that might lead to a crash.

If you notice employee aggression, a high level of sickness or absence, decreased performance, more complaints and grievances or lateness and unreliability – extra surveillance and hearing what other employees' are saying might reveal what's really going on for that person.

Employers promoting a culture of wellbeing can help employees reduce stress and create positive working environments where both individuals and organisations can thrive. Taking a positive towards positive health and wellbeing can be a core enabler of organisational performance, employee engagement and improved attitudes towards road safety.

The DVSA advocate the use of mindfulness to help drivers regulate their emotional responses to stress. Mindfulness simply means being aware of our current reality - almost as if we were an an impartial observer - and then responding rather than simply reacting.

A culture of mindfulness within any organisation can cultivate a culture of openness towards discussing problems or issues that affect individuals, teams, or the whole organisation. This can encourage conversations that inspire insight and wisdom at all levels. When an employee feels heard, they are 4.6 times more likely to feel empowered to perform to the best of their abilities in their work on any given day [2].

If you can learn to calm your emotions, you can focus solely on driving and getting to your destination safely. An employer who cares about road risk and its drivers must start by looking at the factors that underpin human behaviour and set the foundations in place for workers to take their wellbeing and how it relates to road safety seriously.

To find out more about the Guild of Mindful Driver Trainers, go to www.guildmdt.com