AbstractThis is a case study of a 55‐year‐old married woman who had a severe driving phobia with a concomitant reduction in her mobility. She had been involved in an accident on the motorway but did not develop phobic symptoms until after the second incident – a near collision. The treatment consisted of a systematic desensitization of driving scenarios in hypnosis: after sixteen treatment sessions, the patient made a complete recovery and was able to drive on all public roads. Following each session, the patient was encouraged to practise her driving in the presence of her husband who was a skilled driver. In hypnosis, the patient was able to create a world of vivid imagery using all sensory modalities; and it was this verisimilitude, akin to ‘virtual reality exposure therapy’ (VRET), that contributed significantly to her complete recovery. Copyright © 2004 British Society of Experimental and Clinical Hypnosis