Son just started driving - am I insane to be so scared when he drives?!

[clarenceparence]

My son passed his driving test last year but we've only just been able to afford to get him a car.

Each time he drives or goes out in the car I'm literally petrified of something happening..... Am I being insane?!

He's driven me a couple of places and his driving is OK..... Just a little hesitant perhaps, and slow to manouvere off from a stop - (he seems to use the handbrake a lot more than I do!) I'm so scared someone will go into the back of him!

(I'd never cotton onto him the way I feel BTW as this would knock his confidence, a suggestion he took a further lesson with his old instructor was met with bad enough comments!)

Am I being a totally paranoid idiot - or is this normal to feel this way?!

Totally normal!

Yep totally normal. When my ds used to go out at night I wouldn't sleep till I heard him pull up on my drive. Dd will start learning soon 😩😩.

Of course it's normal.

DD is a very 'confident' driver and she scares me shitless.

Her black box means she can't drive after 9pm really so that's good.

That's why car manufacturers put in the OMG handle above the passenger's window. Grab onto that and keep your mouth shut.

Totally normal. If someone goes into the back of him as he pulls off from a traffic light it's unlikely to be at speed. Better hesitant than cocky at his age!

Totally normal. It took me around 6 months to stop worrying (though she still hasn't driven her younger sister anywhere).

Normal.
I get DD to drive me to lots of different places so I am less worried when she's out on her own. Her driving is technically fine , but she doesn't have a very well developed sense of direction...

She's doing Pass Plus soon so her instructor can do all the stressful bits. We did do a motorway the other day but it is very rural and really just a dual carriageway.

She is very sensible though and I trust her. Interestingly her friends who passed before she did advised her not to have P plates on the car as they felt they got a lot of hassle and aggressive driving directed at them with P plates on display - teenage girls driving alone in hatchbacks seem to attract dickheads. (And this is why I totally believe the OP on the thread about aggression from other drivers when in a small car.)

If he's passed his test he should be ok! If you've only just got him a car, how about getting in touch with his old instructor and asking if they do 'Pass Plus' - a course of 6 sessions in your own vehicle - night time, motorway etc. It might lower your insurance or give you extra NCD (did with NFU mutual a couple of years ago for DS)
Could help you feel happier? But, ultimately (and saying this kindly), it's YOUR anxiety that you have created in your head. You staying awake will not protect him, any more than it will keep the plane you are flying in up in the air if you 'concentrate' - there is no cosmic string that works like that, I'm afraid you are just not that powerful!

I'm pretty sure he has no idea how much he scares me...... I'll tell him in a few years! It's only a 1 litre car, and he will have a black box in a few days, and has just bought himself a dash cam...... There's no chance of him being a speed demon - he's way too sensible!

It's "other people" who worry me with their impatiency and idiot driving!

I'm glad I'm not being a total weirdo!

It's normal OP and it will get easier for you.

My mum used to tightly grip the door handle when she got into my car.

BEFORE I EVEN STARTED THE MOTOR! :-D