Driving test nerves

spaghetti_monster

Already lots of good advice, but I was also wondering what she's like in other situations...I say this as (for me anyway) I have found that there are other things that can stress you out whilst driving - and it would be good to know that she can stand up to a bit of stress in the car.

I passed my test almost a year ago and this is what happened to me yesterday:
I had to go to my first job in a town I don't know so well. The last time I went (first time driving there) I got lost as the tomtom didn't seem to know the way and was late for the interview.
This time I double checked all the details on the tomtom and took a print-out. Still I got lost - I obviously couldn't read the printout while I was driving and the tomtom was still wrong.
By this time it was 8.20am, still dark and drizzly, busy town centre crawling with schoolkids on bikes (I'm in Holland and bike paths are an added complication here).
In the end I was so lost, I just pulled over, re-set the tomtom and thought I'd just have to see what happened (tried to memorise some of the printout).
I eventually saw the garage where I'd parked last time (not the most convenient), so thought what the hell I'll park there, walk the extra bit and not get any later.
At one point when I was lost I had to turn around in a narrow street and almost reversed into a pole.
Today for work I'll have to drive in the centre of Amsterdam, with trams and cyclists left-right-and-centre and then do some lovely parallel parking. I'm very glad that I'm taking a friend/colleague who is a very experienced driver (and very helpful with the parking!)

Anyway - my point is that I find this kind of situation probably as stressful as my test. I know I have to concentrate on driving safely despite feeling really quite stressed and nervous.

tori.k

Two things spring to mind get someone she feels comfortable driving with in the car with her as she does her test ....or get a automatic car and do a manual test at a later date. i took this road an automatic test is easy as you just have to have the car pointing in the right direction then did my manual a year later as i was confident driving by myself by then so half the battle was won with just that

ktb

My Mum kept failing and then eventually passed in an automatic - so I guess from her experience, I can echo that advice.

In my mid-late 20s I suffered with anxiety & panic attacks. It was truly horrible so I sympathise with your DD! I learnt as much as I could about anxiety as both a mental and physical condition and worked to find methods to deal with it until something worked for me, in a nutshell by empowering myself eg mind over matter..... & haven't suffered to the point of panic attack in almost 2 years, although I realise in stressful times there is a risk it can happen again. Some medication can help, although the most effective ones are very addictive unfortunately, but beta blockers etc made me feel hideous, so I was determined to do it without drugs.

Maybe your daughter needs to identify her early anxiety triggers & symptoms and equip herself with methods to manage them. Something CBT related would probably help, I have used Paul MacKenna stuff before and there are lots of other options of 2nd hand audio CDs and books out there, if getting actual 121 help is financially/practically not possible.

Life is stressful enough as it is, but crippling anxiety will definitely affect her beyond just passing her driving test. Empowerment is the key and she can equip herself with ways to tackle it. Diet can also impact the body physically and exacerbate anxiety - in the build up to something stressful I would avoid anything caffeinated, alcoholic, sugary or carbohydrate, as these mess with blood sugar and can make the symptoms feel a zillion times worse. I wish her all the best & hope she is motoring soon!

magenta22

I took three attempts to pass.

First I wasn't ready
Second I still wasn't ready!
Third - I took in my own car and had a camomile tea before to calm down. taste nasty but it helped.

lulalola

I had the same problem with my driving test - despite enjoying driving and feeling confident out in my lessons, and not normally getting too nervous about other types of exams, I was a nervous wreck every time. My feet would be shaking on the pedals and once an examiner told me to stop and breathe after I'd (successfully) performed the reverse bay park - I hadn't even realised I'd been hyperventilating! I finally passed on my 9th attempt and as one poster has already suggested, I swear it was down to Bach's Rescue Remedy controlling the nerves enough for me to demonstrate that I could drive safely. It's definitely worth a go. Good luck to your daughter - she'll get there.

jenefer

our nerves adverse effect if we drive a car so always be ready a best health so we get a best role in life so always be conscious to best health tips so be a perfect mind.

Ravenlady_2

Does she actually want to drive at all?

The nerves could be due to actually passing her test and being expected to drive on her own or become a taxi service in her own right.

If she falls apart at a test how is she going to cope on her own at a busy roundabout, at rush hour being tailgaited by a pr1ck in a chelsea tractor and her entrance/exit blocked by a doddery old guy.

Funkyfarmgirl

been out and bought her a car today and said we will get her to drive as much as possible and were see how we get on .

Funkyfarmgirl

Ravenlady wrote: »

Does she actually want to drive at all?

The nerves could be due to actually passing her test and being expected to drive on her own or become a taxi service in her own right.

If she falls apart at a test how is she going to cope on her own at a busy roundabout, at rush hour being tailgaited by a pr1ck in a chelsea tractor and her entrance/exit blocked by a doddery old guy.

yes she does want to drive we live in the middle of nowhere and she wants a social life !