Driving is scary. In fact, according to The New York Times, our chances of dying in a car crash is at about one in 84. When you consider the millions of people on the road, that’s pretty unsettling.

I’ve been driving for about four years. I got my permit in the summer after tenth grade, right when I started to work. I used to drive to or from work, with one of my parents in the passenger seat as is the driver’s permit law in North Carolina

I was nervous to drive. I had no real reason to be terrified. Maybe Driver’s Ed put that fear of God in me. I only remember three things from Driver’s Ed. Two fatal car wrecks, and to constantly check my mirrors.

I waited until I was eighteen to go for my license. I passed with flying colors, the week before Christmas. My only mistake was when I managed to do a three point turn backwards. Don’t ask me how. The instructor let me pass because I did everything I was supposed to, just somehow in reverse.

Another thing they taught us in Driver’s Education was that we would all be in a car accident before we had been driving a year. I had my licence nearly five months when I got in my first wreck.

I was sitting at a stop sign in my neighborhood. I was taking my sister to theater practice. I wasn’t over the nonexistent line. I had my signal on. I had hesitated a bit long, because it has proven difficult to see cars coming from the right at that intersection. I was getting ready to pull out when I noticed my neighbor coming from the left. I can’t remember if he had his indicator on. He began to turn. It was then that I realized he was coming in wide. I froze. Time felt like it was slowing to a crawl. Part of my mind screamed at me to gas it into an empty driveway across the street.

It was too late to do anything but sit there, my foot glued to the brake. Things caught up to speed rather quickly. It was a good thing he was going slow. Because at 20 Miles Per Hour, the car jolted as he T-boned into the driver’s side. Someone was screaming. I think it was my sister. He realized, too late, what he’d done and backed up so we could assess the damage. I threw the car into park.

“Get out. Out of the car,” I remember telling my sister. I knew we were probably safe, but adrenaline was kicking in and setting panic and paranoia into overdrive. She shot out of the passenger seat like it was made of butter. I kept trying to open the driver’s door, but found it jammed. I finally decided to climb over the center console and shimmy out of the passenger seat.

He was asking if we were okay. Other than deep shock, we were both fine. He called 911. I called our parents. I began to shake like a leaf. The police came in due time. They don’t have to rush if there’s no imminent danger.

We made off with the worst damage. The hatchback my aunt had given us was found to be totaled. Both driver’s side doors were dented. They were difficult to open, but not impossible. His pickup truck suffered a slight scratch to the bumper. We just don’t make cars like that anymore. He, of course, was found at fault. We didn’t want to press any charges but he still had to report to traffic court for failure to yield.

The second car crash happened only recently. Two months before publication, in fact. I decided to wait until after I settled things to write about this. I was at fault for this car accident.

We were at the KFC/ Taco Bell in Whalebone Junction. Anyone who's ever been there at least once knows that restaurant is in a bad spot. Especially in summer.

I was driving. We had just picked up dinner. I elected to turn left, across two lanes of traffic, instead of the easier right turn that eventually leads to a merge into traffic on the Croatan Highway. I don’t like merging off on ramps. I don’t like that corner. I had a bit of a wait. There was a small line of cars going left, but I thought it was clear after one pulling a trailer. The southbound lanes to my left looked clear.

Another tricky spot about that specific corner is the nearly blind curve in the southbound left lanes. If someone is flying around the corner, because they’re just too important to go 35 miles per hour, than chances are high you won’t see them until it’s too late.

This is what happened to me. I thought I was in the clear. I pulled perpendicular to the left lanes, getting ready to roll into the northbound lane. I realized too late that a lady in a red SUV was coming around the corner. I panicked. I was scared that she was going to hit me. So I put my foot on the gas and began to turn into the northbound lane.

Unfortunately, there just so happened to be a silver SUV in the lane at the time. I never saw them turn. I believe they reached the nearest intersection and were hidden by some overgrowth. I never saw them until I heard brakes. I felt the jolt, as my car hit there's. Someone screamed. I think we were all yelling at one point.

They pulled off the road and so did I. I put the car in park and began to cry. I had had my license for eighteen months, and I had already caused a car accident. I got out of the car, still crying, and profusely apologized to the couple climbing out of the SUV. I was on the verge of hysterics, but I managed to calm down. My Mom called my Dad. The couple called 911.

Once again, we got the worst of it. I had sideswiped them. Their rear passenger door had a dent that made it difficult to open. The right front of my Grandmother’s car was a bit of a mangled mess. It was still drivable, at least to home and the auto shop. I was found at fault. The cop reasoned that while I had unfortunately caused a wreck, my story seemed to say that I was trying to avoid a worse possible accident. The couple were understanding. Neither party suffered any injuries.

The police officer was very understanding. He told me that I had a few options and even gave me his personal opinion. I could report to traffic court, I could pay the fee, or I could sort out everything with insurance and bring in proof to the Clerk of Court office and have everything wiped from my record. He suggested the latter and I did just that.

It has made me quite the nervous driver. When I finally drove again, after a couple weeks of not wanting to, I probably pissed off some people. I became the person that sits in the center turning lane forever because the gap between cars isn’t big enough for two semis to park between.

And now my sister is in Driver’s Education. She passed the classroom part, and now she has to successfully pass the driving portion. She doesn’t like it much. I didn’t either. It’s going to be interesting to see how she does. I have to say I’m nervous.