Behind the wheel, some returning troops fight post-traumatic stress disorder
February 2nd, 2012
Linda Melone
Imagine driving down a street and the car next to you backfires. The noise probably will startle you for moment. However, a driver suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may interpret this sound as gunfire and veer off the road, possibly causing a crash.
As more members of the military return from deployment overseas, driving issues associated with PTSD are being brought to the forefront by organizations like USAA, an insurance company that caters to active-duty and retired members of the military along with their families.
A comparison of driving records by USAA done before and after deployments (from 2007 to 2012) found that car accidents that were the fault of members of the military rose by 13 percent in the first six months after an overseas tour.
To the rescue?
As a result of the study, USAA is collaborating with PTSD experts, traffic safety advocates, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and branches of the military to see what can be done to address the problem, says Roger Wildermuth, a spokesman for USAA.
“It may include new programs, greater awareness or new technology, although a specific approach is yet to be determined,” Wildermuth says.
Wildermuth says full results of the study about post-deployment traffic accidents will be released sometime in February 2012.
Dr. Harry Croft, a psychiatrist and Army veteran who has evaluated more than 6,000 veterans dealing with combat-related PTSD, says about 15 percent of returning combat veterans have varying degrees of PTSD. That estimate may be low, he says, as not all veterans who have PTSD report it. Whatever the percentage, it’s safe to say that thousands and thousands of military veterans with PTSD are navigating American roads.
“Driving on a crowded freeway with cars all around them may cause some vets to avoid driving altogether,” Croft says.
One veteran’s battle
It’s been six years since Vietnam War veteran Leonard Keith Crosby of Hawaii has driven a car. Crosby, who’s 61, still owns a car but his wife does all the driving. Crosby has suffered from PTSD since his return to the States in 1969 but was diagnosed only about five years ago.
“I didn’t know what was wrong with me,” Crosby says. “It was a gradual thing. I became more and more fearful on the road until I could no longer drive.”
In a combat situation, you can’t trust anyone, Crosby says. He says he felt the same way behind the wheel.
“I’d drive in combat mode. I thought everyone was out to get me,” Crosby says.
Although he never crashed his car, Crosby was never able to overcome that trauma.
PTSD defined
PTSD comprises clusters of symptoms, all of which can affect driving, says Croft, former president of StayStrongNation.org, a nonprofit that helps veterans cope with PTSD and traumatic brain injuries. For example, PTSD often causes sleeping problems, which can lead to drowsy driving and an increased risk of crashes.
Plus, vets who’ve been in life-threatening situations in combat may experience flashbacks while they’re awake, Croft says. “So instead of driving down the freeway, they’re suddenly back in Iraq,” he says.
Another PTSD symptom — known as hypervigilance — prompts veterans to be on “high alert,” such as fearing that garbage on the side of the road is hiding explosives, Croft says.
Any event, noise or situation can trigger a negative response from a veteran struggling with PTSD, according to Croft. PTSD suffers also are prone to outbursts of anger, irritability and aggression; still others become risk-takers and drive too fast.
Where to get help
Unfortunately, PTSD does not go away on its own. “Time does not make a difference,” Croft says.
Croft says veterans must seek help for combat-related PTSD from a psychologist, psychiatrist or other health professional. When Crosby came back from Vietnam, PTSD treatment programs didn’t exist.
“Now that I know I can get help,” Crosby says, “I may get back in the saddle someday, when I’m ready to start driving again.”
Gina Roberts-Grey
Where you fall in the pecking order of your family drives some personality traits that could determine how you behave behind the wheel — and how much you pay for auto insurance.
“There are many birth order-specific traits that affect your attitude toward driving and the way you interact with other drivers,” says Dr. Soroya Bacchus, a psychiatrist in Los Angeles.
Here are the birth-order traits that can send you down the road toward high or low auto insurance premiums.
First born
Bacchus says the oldest child in a family typically pays attention to the road and surroundings, and isn’t easily distracted by chatter and cellphones. Greg Cupper, president of the National Traffic Safety Institute, says the oldest child can thank his parents for that. The institute specializes in traffic safety education.
“Oldest kids are more likely to have received better guidance or training from parents about safe driving practices when learning to drive,” Cupper says. “And those lessons likely stayed with you.”
The oldest child is likely to stick to planned routes, Cupper says, and to stand up to pressure from peers to drink and drive.
Bottom line: While the first born sounds like a perfect motorist, he does have a sense of entitlement, Bacchus says. “They act as if they own the road,” she says.
Sound familiar? If so, take a breath when you’re behind the wheel if you feel the need to cut off another driver or to snub a fellow motorist who wants to merge into your lane. Bacchus says taking that breath gives you time to think clearly — and to avoid a costly traffic ticket or accident. Tickets and accidents easily can bump up your auto insurance premium.
Middle child
The middle child hates confrontation, so he’s not likely to erupt into road rage or tangle with a driver who has it, according to Bacchus.
The middle child’s eagerness to please also promotes roadway courtesy. “Middles will allow other to merge in or go first. They’re very conscientious behind the wheel,” Bacchus says.
Bottom line: Lauren Pearce, a driving instructor at the nonprofit Driving Concepts Foundation in Mission Viejo, Calif., says courteous drivers are some of the best on the road. But she says it’s possible for a driver to be too kind.
“If you give up your right-of-way, you can inadvertently cause confusion among other drivers,” Pearce says. “For instance, if you slow everyone down and go out of your way to let another driver in, you affect traffic behind you.”
That can cause an accident or can make you a victim of road rage.
‘Baby’
“Babies of the family are very social,” Bacchus says. “They love to talk and be part of the action.”
That makes the baby of the family prone to behind-the-wheel distractions like cellphones and passengers, she says. For instance, Cupper says, the baby’s social nature means he’s likely to respond to a friend’s repeated text messages.
Bottom line: If you’re a “baby” who’s a social butterfly, you may want to install a cellphone app — like Drive Safe.ly or tXtBlocker — that prevents texting while driving. Another way to cut down on distractions, according to Cupper: Limit the number of passengers in your car.
Only child
Bacchus says an only child is a highly conscientious motorist who considers other drivers, not just himself.
“They’re likely to take care of their car and everyone in it, and that translates into being a safe driver,” she says.
Cupper adds: “They are more independent and more skeptical, which results in a more careful and analytical way to drive.”
But the only child also tends to be sensitive, making him a prime candidate for road rage. “If they are hurt or feel wronged, they may react emotionally when driving,” Bacchus says.
Bottom line: Pearce, the driving instructor, suggests leaving your emotions in your driveway before hitting the road.
“Drivers will always disagree with other driver’s actions, but that doesn’t mean you should take what other drivers do personally. Before reacting negatively to a fellow driver, count out loud to five,” Pearce says. “Use those seconds to remind yourself that you won’t fix that person through your retaliation. Once you stop letting other drivers make you upset, you’ll realize how much more enjoyable driving is.”
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