A motorist’s safety is dependent on a multitude of factors from vehicle roadworthiness to the skills needed to handle challenges safely. Something many drivers may not consider is their mental wellbeing before getting behind the wheel, however, this can have as great an impact on safety.
One’s cognitive state can be impacted in different ways daily, which can significantly affect decisions behind the wheel. The CEO of MasterDrive, Eugene Herbert, says: “This is because one’s mental state can affect decision-making ability on the road.
“It can cause reckless driving, distraction and even your ability to handle emergencies. A driver who is mentally compromised is ultimately less capable. The gap between full capacity and diminished capacity is often the difference between arriving safely and not arriving at all,” says Herbert.
According to Tafi Mazikana from Vimbo Health, driving in the right frame of mind is essential to safe driving. “Your brain is the engine running all of it. If your mind is not clear, your driving cannot be safe. It can be just as dangerous as driving with a physical impairment, an unroadworthy car or without adequate training.
“South Africa has one of the highest road fatality rates in the world, and mental health can be an underacknowledged driver of that statistic. It is estimated that 1 in 4 people will experience mental illness in their lifetime. With this in mind, mental wellness should be a core pillar of road safety.”
Medical conditions can affect driving in various ways. “Depression and stress cause brain fog, slowed reaction times, and fatigue. A driver can be staring straight ahead and still miss a brake light. Anxiety and ADHD create the opposite problem: hyper-reactivity to minor incidents or distractibility causing drivers to miss hazards entirely.
“For fleet drivers, the risk is compounded by stressors like long hours, isolation, and financial pressure. Restlessness and poor concentration follow a driver into the cab exacerbating impulses to reach for a phone or drive distracted.”
Drivers without medical conditions are not immune either. “Grief, acute stress, or the aftermath of an argument can all compromise judgment. We do not leave our human emotions at the door before driving nor is it feasible to avoid driving every time we encounter mental challenges.”
This does not mean anyone with a mental illness or experiencing personal mental challenges cannot drive for an organisation. Not only is this unfeasible but once an individual better understands and is equipped to identify and manage mental health, they can be as competent a driver as anyone else.
Mazikana notes Vimbo Health uses tools like their ‘Five Areas Technique.’ “It helps drivers identify when a situation triggers a response, and then understand how it affects thought, feeling, and behaviour, before that reaction spills into their driving.
“Acknowledging your mental health is not a weakness but rather a professional safety standard, just like checking your brakes. Organisations that remove the stigma barrier, offer drivers access to tools and skills that help create awareness and consequently, the ability to handle emotions off the road.”
Proactive mental health maintenance is no different from proactive vehicle maintenance. “You do not wait for your truck to break down on the highway before you service it. Your brain deserves the same care,” says Mazikana.