almost crashed a car and now I can't sleep

[illbethemadhatter]

okay, so I turned 16 the other day, and got my learners permit. The next day, I tried driving for the first time. Reversed out of the driveway, panicked, accelerated,mounted a curb, punctured a tire, and almost ran up the other side of the road, because the foot on the accelerator froze and wouldn't move. It scared me a lot and I had a panic attack as I got out the car, but now the thought of driving makes me feel sick to the stomach and I can't sleep, because the scene keeps replaying over and over again.

i don't know what to do

Advice would be greatly appreciated xx

[Elaja25]

Hi there! Just base on my experience i myself is a learner aswell for 1 year now and dealing with anxiety too scarred of nothing.even though i have that i still manage to drive or learn to drive again just keep trying coz sometimes there are a times that we're good on that day and the next day we're not so what i do is keep trying and trying so we can have are confindence fully high (hope you get it) xx elaja25😊

[Guest_1055]

Hello

I would be scared too. You OK now today?

If you didn't already know this.... sometimes it takes a bit to get used to the accelerator. Well it did for me. You eventually learn how much you can press on it to make the car move. And sometimes when you are learning you can press with your foot with to much force, then the car will go to fast. Which I am guessing this happened to you.

You will be OK,😃 it really is just a learning thing. When I was learning, I somehow drove over a clump of shrubs in the middle of the lawn.

Maybe you could hold of learning how to reverse, until you get used to the accelerator. 

You will be OK and it can be a special time in your life, to learn how to drive. Happy 16 th birthday for the other day!

Hugs

Shelley xx

[Bluey_moon]

Hi, 

I hope that physically you are ok now! 

Firstly I want you to know you are not alone! About 13 years ago I had a car accident in which I wrote off my then boyfriend (now husbands) car. I had only just gone onto my opens. I hit some loose gravel and lost control! Thankfully I wasn't badly hurt BUT I was terrified! My boyfriend got back in the car with me a few days later. I was scared for a while but I kept going, even though my shoulders would ache from holding the steering wheel so tight! It took a while but slowly my confidence returned and I became more experienced! 

Please don't be too hard on yourself, they are called learners for a reason! You are new to this! You will get used to the feel of the pedals, the steering wheel. 

Just a thought, but I found a defensive driving course very useful! 

Bluey

[Elizabeth CP]

Learning to drive is scary for everyone both the learner and the person teaching. My first attempt to drive I took of across the road through a T intersection and half way up another road with my dad telling me to press the brake & clutch to stop the whole time. Unfortunately I couldn't find the pedals without looking down which meant I couldn't see to steer. Once I stopped my dad changed seats and we drove to a deserted car park to practise stopping and starting pressing the pedals It was a while after before I was allowed near a street. It is now over 40 years since I got my licence. As the others said it is normal to make mistakes as a learner. Unfortunately the teacher (parent or friend) sometimes makes a mistake in not helping the new learner get familiar enough with the controls or allows the learner to attempt to drive in situations where is is too risky given the lack of experience. It is important to have another go but make sure you go somewhere where there is plenty of room to allow for mistakes. If necessary try a driving school to get some confidence first as their cars have dual controls so they can stop the car if required to prevent an accident. Once you have driven a little successfully your anxiety will lessen.

[Emm11]

Dear Madhatter,

I crashed my first car and got it written off within the first year of having it. I was and still am a P plater. The car costed around $8000 and I had lost my license at the time so it wasn't insured. My mum was furious with me and so was i... But you can't be so hard on yourself. There is a reason you have those funny little yellow plates you put on the front and back. It is because you are learning! Learning involves making mistakes. Some worse then others. It is okay to make mistakes. Otherwise you will never learn. And hey, I think crashing an $8000 car is alot worse than a punctured wheel.

Try starting in an empty car park first? Or somewhere that is open space so you can't crash into anything.