Scared to drive

[TheN3rdyOutcast]

Getting a drivers license is a right of passage for most, but for me, driving seems like a watered down Russian Roulette. People around where I like drive unsafely, (not using turn signals, texting and driving, driving drunk, etc. and every time I get in the car for a driving lesson, I get terrified that one day, my life will be cut short because of somebody else's mishap, or even worse, i'll cut someone else's life short because of my mishap. :(

Is there anyone else out there who's scared to drive?
Am I just being paranoid?

[Hollywood]

It gets better, trust me. Starting out, I was really nervous too. Someone would offer to let me drive and I would downright refuse. I'm still a little bit nervous (I've only had my permit for a couple of months) but I've noticed that I'm not stressing as much about the little things anymore. The more you drive, the better you get and the more confident you become in your ability to drive and your ability to notice the drivers around you. In other words, practice makes perfect!

[unknownuser]

Yeah, staring out you're like "OMG, I HAVE SOOO MUCH CONTROL!" and it's a little scary. But trust me, as you practice, you become more confident and aware of yourself, the road, and others.

You can't let that kind of thinking deter you from learning to drive and practicing. Everywhere you go, there will be unsafe and stupid drivers, all you can do is make sure that YOU are following the rules of the road and driving safely.

[Cognizant]

Trust me, drivers in the Bay Area are fucking morons. Drivers here would gladly lay on the horn for a mistake someone else made and then drive off without yielding to pedestrians or cutting across 4 lanes of traffic without signaling.

I was terrified at first, but the more you practice and the better you understand the roads, the easier it is to understand what others are doing and when/how to react to situations. Take this situation: let's say you're cruising down the highway at 70/75mph and then you see a hazard that blocks you from traveling in your lane.

When I first started driving, I would've slammed on my brakes and either damage or crash my car, or stop and then risk getting rear ended. Now that I've been driving for longer, I always check my side mirrors and blind spots from time to time to make sure that should I need to abandon my lane of travel, I can safely get out of harms reach.

That's why they require you to have an adult in the car for the first few months and take drivers lessons (if under 18) - they're helping you build your skill so you can handle anything that comes your way.

[Miserabilia]

Driving is not safe, it just isn't.
I understand your fear.
I don't really know what the best thing to do is for you. Where I live it's totally possible to live a whole life without a drivers licence because of high quality public transport.

[Derek951]

It's always nerve racking at first. Was never afraid of harm to myself, but always used to be worried about either getting damage to my car or damaging another. But like anything new, it'll just become normal to you eventually

[TheLoneWolf]

I don't have a driver's license yet but I already know that I wouldn't even dare to drive.
Even when I'm sitting next to one of my parents I freak out over every car coming at our direction...