Dreams about driving a car can be wonderfully exhilarating or extremely frightening. It all depends on the context.

If you were driving a car in your dream and it’s stuck in your mind, it could be a sign from your subconscious. As to why we dream? There are many theories.

Freud was the first to put forward the idea that we all have hidden desires buried in our subconscious mind. Freud believed that dreams are a way of letting us know what these repressed desires are.

Others think they have more literal interpretations. Namely, they represent the stressful situations we are experiencing. As such, we should look at the symbols and images in dreams and decipher those if we want to really interpret dreams properly.

The good thing about driving dreams is that they are full of symbols. Just think about traffic lights for instance. A red light indicates stop whatever you’re doing and green means go in any language.

How to interpret dreams about driving a car?

Who was driving in the dream?

This is probably the most important aspect of the dream. If you were driving, it signifies a level of control.

If you weren’t driving, who was? What is your relationship with this person in real life? Do you get on with them? Now, how did you feel about them driving? Happy, nervous?

If you were nervous, then examine what’s going on between the pair of you in your normal life. Is there any friction? Are they trying to control your life? Or are they just trying to support you?

How well were they driving?

If you drove well, it means you are confident and in control in all areas of your life. However, if you didn’t, it is a sign of low self-esteem.

If someone else drove, consider how good their driving was. Were they driving too fast? This indicates you feel out of control. If they are driving too slow, you could be too impatient with others.

How fast were you driving?

If you were driving fast, then your dream may be telling you to slow down and enjoy the scenery a bit more. Relax with your family, take time off.

Conversely, if you were going slowly, it is an indication you are heading in the right direction, but you could work more efficiently.

Were you in the front or the back?

This is another aspect of control. If you were in the back, you are literally an audience member of your own life. By sitting back and watching someone else take control over the car, you are stuck in the past.

You need to move on from whatever is holding you back.

Did you arrive at your destination?

If you got to your destination, this is a good sign that you are on the right path.

If you got stuck in a traffic jam or were delayed for another reason, then your dream is telling you that you may need to look at other courses of action. Perhaps the route you are taking is not the best way for you.

driving a car dream interpretation

Getting lost is a sign that you have literally lost your way. In actual fact, it can be an important sign that you feel lost inside. But it’s a good wakeup call too.

What type of car were you driving?

These are all important factors of the driving dream. If the car was an old make and model you remember from your childhood, you may be struggling with issues from this time period.

What the type of car represents in your dream depends on your gender. For example, if you are female and dreamt of a big car with a large engine, you could feel you need protection. However, if a man dreams of this type of car, it indicates a desire to protect his loved ones.

A woman that dreams of a car in softer, more feminine colours is looking for romance in her life. Men dreaming of this type of car are feeling romantic or in love.

How old was the car in your dream?

How well-maintained is the car in your dream? For example, are the tyres worn? Is the paint chipped? It is missing any vital parts it needs to run efficiently? Does it look smart and clean or untidy and dirty? Does it run well or sound as if it is going to break down at any minute?

There are obvious symbolic clues here. For example, a clean, tidy well-maintained car that runs smoothly is a good indication that all is running well in your life.

The opposite, however, a dodgy car that is dirty and about to fall apart should give you cause for concern. What is going on in your life that you need to focus on?

Were you driving during the day or at night?

driving during day dream

Driving a car during the day in bright sunlight on a main, well-signposted road is much nicer than driving at night with no lights. Furthermore, they both have different meanings.

The first is an indication that you have a clear path ahead of you and you know exactly where you are going. As for the latter, it could indicate that you have no idea about the future and you feel blind in some areas.

Were you in an accident?

The type of accident is significant here. Did you hit something or did another car hit you? This is a sign of conflicting ideas battling for control. Perhaps you have met someone whose ideas conflict with yours?

If you were rear-ended, it suggests someone from your past has resurfaced and still holds some influence over you.

Did you crash?

This is a clear sign to slow down, your body has literally ‘crashed’ and needs to stop and take time off. It also signifies mental strain.

Has something important come to a sudden end? A job, relationship, have you lost something or someone very important recently?

Was there a fire in your car?

Fire in any dream represents two different factors; cleansing and anger. To decide which one is relevant in your driving dream, you should look at the context of the whole dream.

Who was with you in the car? In real life do you feel angry with them? Have they hurt you in some way? If the dream is about cleansing, have you come to the end of something in real life and you are ready to move on?

Are there other cars around you?

The main factor in driving dreams is what you were doing and the type of car you were in. However, if there were other cars around you, they are significant.

This is because they represent other aspects of you that you might not be aware of. For example, if they are people you know, they could indicate traits you don’t want to admit to owning or want to possess.

Parked cars

parked cars dream

Parked cars are a sign you feel stuck in real life and cannot move on. However, they can have positive and negative meanings. If you’ve been working hard, they can be a wakeup call to take a break.

If you cannot remember where you’ve left your car, you might be uncertain of the next step in life. Get some advice before you move on.

It’s not surprising that dreams in which we see ourselves driving a car are common. We use our cars almost every day and they are an important part of our lives. Perhaps that’s why they crop up in our dreams so often.

References:

  1. https://www.huffpost.com
  2. https://exemplore.com

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This Post Has One Comment

  1. Josh

    I think it will be useful for all unstable drivers who can not just live without driving. For example, I understood what driving in a destabilized state can lead to.

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