29 May 2007
Crashbacks - where the driver recalls flashes of a past accident - affect eight million drivers, according to new research from More Than insurance.
It appears that Britain's roads may be full of nervous drivers after More Than's poll revealed that 170,000 crashback victims take six months before they feel comfortable behind the wheel of a car again, with a further 85,000 drivers refusing to get into their car ever again, six months after their accident.
More Than also found that 1.5 million of the drivers involved in an accident who experienced these crashbacks had chosen not to talk to anyone else about them, despite the fact that talking through the accident has been proven to help.
Marcia Chambers from FirstAssist Services Ltd, who manages More Than's motor accident counselling service, said: "Crashback is a very common condition amongst drivers who have been involved in an accident. Any car crash, no matter how small, can be traumatic and there's nothing unusual in feeling upset or anxious after a crash.
"An important part of the recovery process is talking about how you feel. Partners, family and friends are often willing to help, but there is also the option of speaking to a professional counselling service."
Keith Maxwell, head of car insurance at More Than, added that drivers should not feel under any pressure to return to their car before they are ready as this could add to their stress levels and lead to dangerous driving.
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