Poor roads take toll on mental health of drivers

Published on

Raghav Gadgil

The Chief Minister of Goa has highlighted three primary causes for road accidents in Goa - drunk driving, negligent driving and overspeeding (allegedly by those hot-blood adrenaline-rich youth).

He conveniently distanced himself from making any statements on the condition of the roads, warning contractors and issuing notices only divert road activists’ attention and show them that ‘our government will take strict action against them’.

Politicians are here to fulfil their responsibilities toward public infrastructure built from taxpayers’ money. Research in this area suggests that poor road infrastructure and management contribute to higher stress levels among drivers and stress from driving conditions can lead to cognitive lapses and intentional traffic violations, which are linked to increased crash involvement.

Rough roads are a persistent and pervasive source of mental strain. Psychological stress does not ‘cause’ people to die instantly but can have ‘effects’ on the body in the long term.

Potholed roads, lack of lighting and signage, and irregular banking at curves necessitate constant hyper-attention on roads while driving. When we set out of the house, the sight of the bad road itself causes a generation of bad vibes in the body, turning our view of the world negative.

Those believing in the power of positive and negative thinking would agree with me. Near constant attention is needed to dodge the potholes or linear grooves on the road, diverting our attention from the oncoming vehicle, a pedestrian crossing the road, or a cattle sitting on the road chewing its share of cellulose.

Drivers need to be alert on the streets, but heightened alertness causes mental fatigue and decreases the capacity to anticipate abrupt road hazards. Constantly modulating speed and navigating treacherous potholes exhaust drivers’ cognitive ability to deal with such issues, often causing frustration and impulsive decisions.

Such exposure to unpredictability leads to "anticipatory anxiety," whereby drivers experience heightened stress even before embarking on a journey due to the expectation of encountering poor conditions. The constant release of stress hormone cortisol has detrimental impacts on psychological well-being.

The cumulative psychological toll of this unrelenting state of hypervigilance manifests in what can be characterised as “road-induced stress” or “driving fatigue”, gradually eroding mental fortitude. In addition, excessive jerks affect the spinal cord and bone joints, resulting in reduced bone strength and slipped discs in the long run.

Travelling may not be the only cause for such ailments over long periods, but excluding these reasons from human health degeneration is ignorance.

People naturally want to feel in charge of their surroundings, especially in situations like driving, where safety is a concern. But when roads are in poor condition, even careful drivers can fall at the mercy of potholes or sudden hazards, which makes them more vulnerable to accidents.

This sense of helplessness adds to their stress, making them more irritable and prone to frustration or anger. Over time, this ongoing mental strain wears people down emotionally, making them more likely to feel exhausted, burned out, and overwhelmed.

Chronic exposure to such stressful situations causes heightened aggression, a behavioural manifestation of psychological frustration. Drivers subjected to the persistent irritants of poor roads are more prone to engage in aggressive driving behaviours— such as speeding, tailgating, and executing risky manoeuvres — to mitigate their distress.

This aggressive behaviour amplifies the probability of vehicular collisions and perpetuates a feedback loop of frustration and exasperation, deepening the psychological toll of bad roads.

The fight-or-flight response often gets triggered by bad road conditions. When a driver suddenly hits a pothole or faces a road hazard, the brain sees it as a danger, causing a rush of response outcomes. The stress from dealing with these road conditions day in and day out only adds to the overall burden the drivers face, making it even harder to cope.

Addressing infrastructural deficits is an investment in physical safety, mental health, and overall quality of life for those reliant on these roads. In this light, improving road conditions becomes synonymous with enhancing the psychological well-being of society at large.

Herald Goa
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