I Am Terrified Of Driving

I am turning thirty in four days and I do not have a license it's sometimes a problem living in Michigan.

My brother got into a bad car accident when he was in high school, it was scary seeing my brother who I admired like a child would a super hero so hurt. I suppose that I should not have went with my dad to see him at the hospital being eight I think that it was more than I could handle. I think seeing pictures of his destroyed car was more than I could take as well.

When I was fifteen my cousin's fiancé got in a car accident and died on impact a few days before my sixteenth birthday. I went to his funeral and it was not pretty,they
did the best that they could I'm sure, but he didn't even look like him at all.(He wasn't wearing a seat belt and he went through the window)

Since my brother's car accident I don't even like to be in a car, the whole time I just think that I'm going to die any at any moment. When I think about driving I am filled with awful thoughts that I could accidentally kill someone: If a child were to run in front of me will I be able to stop on time? What if I sneeze and hit the gas and crash into someone? Etc

Pardon my crappy grammar/spelling

 

I dont particularly like cars either, my dad and aunt both died in car accidents within two years of each other and then several people in high school, and a couple of people I know within the last couple of years

But driving is a different story. I cant stand being in a car with someone else driving but I don't really get that anxiety when I'm driving because I have an element of control there

But also, if you can hold out a few more years autonomous cars might be a widespread thing. So there's that.

 

I'm sure it's not you that's the problem. It's the other bloody drivers who think they're Nelson Piquet. One trick is to leave your learner plates on even when you get proficient, so other drivers will give you some space.

 

as far as i know, this concept doesn't exist in the states. i've actually never heard of it before, but i assume it's what it sounds like.

 

Oh right. I assumed you had them there. They're a good idea, I think.

 

yeah, it does sound like a good idea. the downside, of course, is that most people drive like they're just learning, so the absence of learner plates could provide a false sense of security.

 

This will make me scared of driving....

 

Being nervous makes you a more dangerous driver. You have to be confident enough to react and trust yourself. If you overthink things your reactions will be slower when they need to be fast. It's how a professional race driver would do things. In some cases you can't even stop a car properly unless you are willing to push it to the edge of it's limits. But even though you are going 40 and not 170 the same idea applies.

 

Sorry to hear; my mom and sister died in a car wreck. Whenever I have a close call on the highway that always enters my mind.

 

By the way, I don't drive. My psychiatrist won't allow it. I take a lot of cabs.

 

I am sorry to hear that about both of your lives....you and Mel.....

I was in a car crash once...Someone else was driving. i had amnesia from it for a little while.

 

I'm also sorry to hear about you losing your loved ones, and completely understand your fears. There are plenty of fools out there on the road. I like public transportation, but to be able to get behind the wheel whenever you want and go where you want, is true freedom and independence. Feels great! Try it out, and if you don't like it, you can digress and take public trans again.