Emma Watson may be an award-winning actress who’s starred in a plethora of blockbuster movies, but it seems even her celebrity status can’t protect her from her penchant for putting the pedal to the metal when she drives. The 35-year-old actress has been barred from driving for six months after she was caught speeding.
According to NBC News, the court reports stated that Watson drove her blue Audi 38mph in a 30mph zone in Oxford, England, on July 31 of last year. She was expected to pay a fine, but failed to appear at her court hearing. With 9 points on her record, this is obviously not a first-time offense for the A-lister. However, it seems Watson’s constant speeding may tell more about her personality than anything else, along with other people who can’t seem to take their foot off the gas when they get behind the wheel.
Ken Hurst | Shutterstock
Being someone who likes to drive fast means you enjoy the thrill-seeking and adventure that comes with speeding. It gives people this burst of excitement that allows them to break away from the routine of having to take their time in other aspects of their day. Perhaps it’s the fact that they aren’t supposed to speed in the first place, which makes it so appealing.
Psychologist Susan Heitler explained, “Dopamine comes up when we are attempting to accomplish a challenge. Adrenaline readies us for action when we see danger. Endorphins keep up our endurance. And dopamine, adrenaline, serotonin, and endorphins, because they make us feel so good, can be highly addictive. The more we get them, the more we want more. So there we go, seeking out the thrilling challenges that trigger these chemicals to surge.”
It’s often less about trying to be rebellious and breaking the rules and more to do with that fleeting feeling of freedom and excitement that comes with racing down the street, even though it usually ends up landing them in hot water.
: How Your Birth Order Secretly Affects Your Whole Personality, According To Psychology
Sometimes, people end up speeding because they tend to act before they think. The impulsivity of speeding means they aren’t thinking about the consequences of their actions. They want instant gratification for everything and feel immense frustration when things are delayed in their everyday lives. A study found that, on average, drivers saved only two minutes’ travel time each week by driving faster than the speed limit.
They get impatient and find that accelerating means they can cut time on getting to their destination, even if it means getting pulled over, arrested, given a fine, or having their license revoked. However, being impulsive means you’re missing out on the joy of making careful decisions. You don’t have to live with regret if you actually take the time to decide what you want out of life.
eva_blanco | Shutterstock
Many people who consistently speed aren’t just seeking a thrill; they often believe they’re better drivers than everyone else. We all know at least one of these people, right? That overconfidence means they think they’re immune to the perils that can happen at high speeds. This mindset of being overconfident can translate to how they are in other parts of their lives, as well.
They may believe that the rules just don’t apply to them. While confidence is always a good thing, being overconfident and arrogant can just end up doing you more of a disservice than anything else. At the end of the day, you don’t want to endanger the lives of others on the road or the people with you in the car.
: People Who Skip Breakfast Most Mornings Usually Share These 4 Traits, According To Psychology
Some people end up speeding out of pure reaction. Whether they’re stressed, angry, frustrated, or even sad, they might just lean on the gas pedal a little bit harder to get their emotions in check. It’s them attempting to regain control and release their pent-up feelings, and it’s usually a subconscious kind of thing.
Without even realizing why, they accelerate because their emotions have taken over. While it can feel like this fleeting moment of freedom, the truth is that when your emotions are running the show, you aren’t as in control as you think. It’s always better and safer to take a few breaths and actually calm down before starting the car and driving. Strong emotions can often cloud our judgment, and speeding doesn’t ever solve anything if you’re struggling to gain composure.
People who speed sometimes do it because it’s considered “cool” amongst their friends and family. Research has shown that drivers who speed see it as socially acceptable because the people in their lives likely speed too. Most speedy drivers have the same belief that it’s just something that happens on the road. Because everyone around them is doing it, it becomes socially acceptable.
This may not be the case for every driver who speeds, but most of the time, the sense of anonymity behind the wheel can make some drivers feel they can do anything while driving, including speeding. Because you’re removed from other people by being in your car, it lowers a person’s desire to actually care about other people on the road. That doesn’t mean they want to cause an accident; it just means the possibility is removed from their immediate thought and the risk is somehow lowered.
They may refuse to take accountability and see their actions as harmless because it’s just a few miles over the speed limit. This mindset may translate to other areas of their lives where they may be prone to putting themselves before other people if it makes them feel good first.
: Your Name Reveals The Unforgettable Traits That Draw People To You, According To Numerology
Nia Tipton is a staff writer with a bachelor’s degree in creative writing and journalism who covers news and lifestyle topics that focus on psychology, relationships, and the human experience.
