Many people drive. Those with disabilities and amputations drive, 16 year olds drive, 70 year olds drive. Woman and men as short as 4’3” and as tall at 6’9” drive. There is no reason why you are physically unable to drive.

Now that we are over that fact of life, what are you afraid of? Crashing? Lots of people are in car wrecks. I was in a MAJOR wreck 3 weeks after I got my first car. And guess what? I’m alive. And I’m still driving.

Think about what driving will get you. With your license and a car, you can now get up and go as you wish. You can come back home whenever you want to. There isn’t one place in the contiguous United States that you can’t drive. If god forbid someone in your family were in trouble or had to go to the emergency room, you could get to them or get them there safely and speedily. This should all be motivation to tough it out, get over your fears, and get behind the wheel.

What I did to force myself was that I set the date for my driver test a month ahead, so that I had a solid goal to acheive. The test date was going to come, whether or not I was ready, so I figured I might as well be ready. For that month I singled out people in my life I believed are amazing drivers (i.e. my dad, my boyfriend, etc) and observed how they drive. The mechanics AND their decision making : how far in advance they changed lanes before their exit, how quickly they began breaking before a red light or stop sign, what they did before changing lanes. Then, I begged and pleaded for them to take me driving. Going to the market? I’ll drive. Going to get your hair done? I’ll drive you and wait for you, then drive you back. Having an argument with your girlfriend? Can I drive you to her house so you can do it in person? I got in as much practice as humanly possible that month.

I was bleeding car keys from my nostrils. And when that test came, I aced it.