Driving should feel empowering—an opportunity to enjoy your independence and freedom.
But if anxiety, self-doubt, or a lack of confidence is holding you back, I’m here to help. Whether you’re preparing for your driving test or have been driving for years but want to feel more in control, you’re in the right place.
I’m passionate about helping people become the most confident, capable drivers they can be. It’s not just about passing a test or getting from point A to point B; it’s about feeling calm, assured, and ready to handle whatever the road throws at you.
With a friendly, supportive approach, I’ll work with you to build your confidence step by step. My lessons are tailored to suit you, focusing on the areas you feel unsure about and helping you develop both your skills and your trust in yourself as a driver.
You don’t have to let anxiety or uncertainty hold you back. Together, we’ll turn hesitation into confidence and help you enjoy every journey you take. Let’s work toward making driving something you can feel proud of.
Your next step starts here—let’s get you feeling great about driving again!
How I Work With You
I am a qualifed NLP Coach and a trained driving instructor. By combining these skills with an engineering background, I will help you challenge your limiting beliefs about your abilities. We will look at the issues that might be holding you back and find a way to reframe your past experiences to stop them becoming life-limiting.
It’s thought that as many as 1 in 3 people who have passed their driving test avoid driving due to fear or anxiety. How crazy is that? All that effort and expense that you invested in being able to drive and you’re not capitalising on it. I don’t want you to be part of that statistic.
My aim is for you to become the best driver you can possibly be and to enjoy driving as much as you possibly can. I know that some people enjoy driving far more than others and that’s absolutely fine – we work together to create a balance that allows you to do it your way!
This might mean that we don’t even start in a driving environment, everything is done at your pace. I can work with you to find the best way forward for you. It’s not unusual for the first sessions with very anxious drivers to just spend time with them getting familiar with being on the right hand side of a car again. Everything is broken down into achievable goals for you
Client Feedback
Real words from real people
Paul was amazing with my daughter, he always moved at her pace, really grew her confidence and skills with a calm and encouraging manner. He was really honest with us and reduced lessons as she became more competent. She passed within 3 months of her first lesson and I feel really comfortable with her driving.
Sam – Via Surrey Driving Force
Paul Harris is an absolute diamond. I came to him with a boatload of anxiety around driving and, no exaggeration, within one lesson, he put all my fears to rest and made me feel like a good driver! Incredibly nice bloke and a great instructor!
Josh – Via Surrey Driving Force
We feel so lucky to have found Paul – a wonderful driving instructor. Kind, supportive, flexible, honest and accommodating – what more could you ask for. My daughter thrived under his expert tuition and my youngest is looking forward to starting her lessons in January. Paul is a complete gem and the best instructor around – thank you!
Mrs B – Via Surrey Driving Force
There’s no catch-all answer to the question of why some people develop, or have an in-built fear of driving.
For most, a combination of apprehensions and anxieties will be at play. Some of the most common triggers include:
- Performance anxiety
- Fear of travel
- Bad experience
- Fear of authority
- Claustrophobia
- Fear of accidents
However, for others, just the idea of driving can evoke dread, stress, and even panic.
Whether you’re prone to catastrophizing or your fear comes from just the thought of being
behind the wheel, the feelings associated with driving are real and can significantly impact
the daily lives of people suffering from driving anxiety.
If you find yourself anxious at the thought of driving, you are not alone. Driving anxiety
affects nearly half of British drivers, from new drivers to experienced drivers who have lost
confidence due to past experiences. In this blog, we will explore common causes of driving
anxiety and share tips to help you manage and eventually overcome these fears.
Before you leave:
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If you’re heading somewhere unfamiliar, plan your route, and make sure you have the correct address saved in your satnav.
Try to avoid driving at busy times. Rush hour traffic is stressful to drive through, and may delay you. -
Choose a route that places fewer demands on you, and wherever possible, take roads you’re familiar with.
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Check the weather. If it looks like you’ll be driving in conditions which might make you feel uncomfortable, think about postponing, rescheduling or delaying your trip.
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When you first get in the car, turn off your phone and put it in the glove box to reduce distractions.
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