According to a number of social workers and psychologists, long distance driving is physically and mentally draining. It also causes stress among drivers, which adversely impacts their career performance and family interaction.

Dr. Ghada Al Sheikh, social and family consultant at the Excellence Center for Consultancy and Training -Abu Dhabi, noted that irregular hours spent behind the wheel on a daily basis is not only time consuming, it is also physically draining. . It also exhausts patience, causing fatigue and mental stress, which in turn distracts drivers and causes them to lose focus.

“The troubles of everyday traffic, particularly during peak hours, may result in chronic tension and stress, which poses a great risk to drivers’ lives. They are also the main cause of traffic accidents, as they lead to extreme fatigue and mental stress,” she added.

Moreover, Dr. Ghada Al Sheikh asserted that residing close to the workplace has several positive impacts on both individuals and society. This would eventually cause a decrease in traffic accidents, and reduce environmental pollution caused by exhaust fumes from vehicles, whereas fewer cars will be using roads especially during peak hours. In addition, choosing to reside closer to the workplace saves time and effort, and reflects positively on individuals’ mental health.

For her part, Dr. Maha Ahmed Abdel Halim, a psychologist at Dar Zayed for Family Care, indicated that long distance driving causes significant psychological pressure and stress as they race against the clock; as they drive back and forth between their home and the workplace. “Stress and pressure increase the level of Adrenaline in the blood, whereas motorists have to react within short notice to several elements; either to avoid arriving late to work due to traffic congestion or to control the vehicle as they drive through amber lights at intersections. This kind of stress negatively impacts drivers’ health and causes a range of chronic diseases, she added.

Concluding, Dr Maha emphasized that setting up residence away from the workplace or in places that witness traffic congestion, causes high psychological pressure and causes motorists to lose focus, often leading to more traffic accidents. She advised employees to seek closer accommodation to the workplace, to avoid the hardship of driving for long hours. This would eventually reduce stress, subsequently leading to a drop in the number of traffic accidents, some of which fatal, due to fatigue, stress, speed, and failure to pay attention to potential road surprises.
 

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