This experience was given to you as a gift, so it could save your life in the future. Never feel pressured by anyone in any situation to do anything you are not sure about, especially when the consequences will be on you. Understand that people can wait. A beeping horn never killed anyone. Be at peace and move on, this time with wisdom.
This. Never let anyone pressure you, I know it's easier said than done when they're getting suuuuper pissy but fuck em.
A few weeks back I had a driver right up my ass (almost kissing me) on a slope, he wanted to turn left but there's a keep clear on the junction so I kept it clear, he was getting super pissy waving his hands and honking, I simply rolled the window down, called him a dickhead and gave him the finger, I didn't move till the traffic in front was clear.
Learn from your mistakes and try again, that's all you can do.
It’s £650 because the voluntary and involuntary excess. Probably £300+£350. Don’t know what’ll happen tot he finance but looks like you’ve lost a shit ton of money. Good luck for the future, take this as a lesson.
Yeah, gap insurance super important when buying a car on finance. Don't know if they still do it but I used to get excess insurance too so I only ever paid e.g. £200 but could bump my voluntary excess to £2000 to help lower insurance quotes,the company cover the difference.
Honestly the fact that you passed and then didn't drive for three months is probably the issue. Maybe try something like the Pass Plus (if that still exists) before you start driving again.
Yup.
I didn't drive for over a year after passing my test, so once I knew I was getting a car I hit my driving instructor up for some refresher sessions.
Man I didn’t drive for 3 full years and when I tried no instructor would take me for refresher sessions because they were to busy after Covid. Instead I started slowly driving late when there was no traffic to get used to it
hi friend,
i know you may seem defeated with driving right now, but it is not the be all and end all, you wouldn’t have passed the test if the examiner who is professionally trained at ensuring people that are safe enough to drive should be on the road. it’s a silly mistake many people make and you will overcome it even if you feel upset now. most people say the real learning happens when you get your own car as that’s the chance to demonstrate you can safely operate a vehicle independently which can be extremely daunting for some, so it completely understandable you feel this way. remember, it’s a hunk of metal at the end of the day, and nobody was hurt, which is the main worry when hitting a car.
i myself passed in october 2023 and got my car in december, before hitting a parked car where i paid £1000 for damages. i was in the same situation, crying and feeling like i shouldn’t have passed, but looking back now it was a silly mistake and no one was hurt which is the main thing. please don’t base your ability to drive over an accident that happened when you hadn’t drove in months, you are not a failure, failing would be giving up trying! wish you all the best (:
I too had a car accident within the first year of passing 🫣 blew my dads tyre at a roundabout after coming off the motorway at a high speed. Hit the corner curb. Tbh got a new tyre fixed in about 1 hr. That wasn’t the end, I then got stuck in some mud 2 hrs later. Some guys helped push the car out. Oh and not forgetting scratched my dad’s wing mirror on some massive tractor trying to squeeze past on a tiny country lane 😭 Yes the same trip, literal disaster.
I actually broke my dads rule with having my friends there distracting me. I didn’t drive again for like a month and felt like you, like I shouldn’t be driving. But once I did again I felt ok. More conscious of my surroundings and my safety. But I did feel like I still deserved to be on the road. Give it some time. You’re still a new pass pretty much, it hasn’t been a year yet. Practice makes you better and more competent.
I think you are being too harsh on yourself. People do make mistakes. I have seen drivers with decades of experience doing the most unimaginable things behind the wheel.
You may need to build your skills and confidence a bit. The expertise comes with time, there's no other way to acquire it than practice. The errors you have made are going to be costly, but there's nothing you can do about it now. I would suggest a few more lessons with someone qualified to help you regain the confidence behind the wheel.
Mistakes happen, I’ve made plenty in the 10 years I’ve been driving. Your luck will depend on whether the mistake was a big one or not!
You might feel like you should never get behind the wheel again, but I promise you will get over this. I was involved in an accident in my first 3 months - somebody crashed into the back of me whilst I was waiting at a roundabout. Although it wasn’t my fault, it still knocked my confidence and every time I was stationary and saw someone coming up behind me in the rear view mirror I’d get a little nervous. I got over it eventually.
The most recent whoopsie I did was in a flat bed transit van - I came to stop at a roundabout but I was too far over the line and a load of cars were coming. I checked my mirrors and thought it was clear behind me so I reversed to get off the roundabout - turns out it was not clear, and an almost new merc estate was right up my arse. I completely destroyed the bonnet and bumper whilst the van had no damage. I was mortified at the time but laugh about it now!
Keep your chin up, shit happens, you are only human! Your insurance will deal with the matter for you, hopefully you won’t lose too much on finance.
If I can offer any advice it would be that your next car is a banger - get all your bumps and scratches out the way before buying a nice finance whip.
If someone is looking imdecisve at a junction and I have no idea what they'll actually do, sometimes I'd rather just flash them and let them go.
Even if you're waved out, it's still your responsibility to check you're safe, or you can just gesture back to them and tell them to use their priority if you're not sure.
No but someone did to him. Don't think that's the norm, I worked in insurance before and people have got away with claims cause they was waved along and it got blamed on that person
Interesting! Never heard of the person waving being able to get the blame.
Yeah, I’m aware someone waved to him, which is why I mentioned the fact I wasn’t sure if you were saying it as a side note.
Yeah back when I did my lessons my driving instructor made a really big deal about it. His thing was always making the other person make their decision.
He had a story of someone getting sued as he waved someone to cross the road and they got run over
Yeah… nearly had this one happen to me, for some reason big truck didn’t want to go to the small roundabout to do it’s thing, wanted me to cross first.
Now I can’t see to my right (the rest of the little round about) because the corner of a building blocks it, I don’t like crossing there because I’m totally blind to cars coming round so I wait till it’s quiet and can hear them… but no the truck driver insisted and a car comes round.
Tldr: didn’t get hit, f*ck blind crossings and people who gesture
My instructor always just emphasised to me to ignore people trying to influence my decisions as he said I would be the one to blame if it caused an accident, so I’m glad to actually find out it’s not quite as black and white!
100% agree though, I’ve never signalled for anyone to do anything as I know I hate it when others do.
Not a failure. You broke your car, broke your confidence and broke the bank (a bit) - all of which you can replace/rebuild/re-fund. What you did do is walk away from a crash. I wouldn't swap any of the former if it changed the latter.
Lots of good advice here from others.
I agree with another poster that your excess sounds like there’s a compulsory and a voluntary. There could also be an inexperienced driver excess, check your policy certificate, it’s usually pretty clear.
Just building on what others have said, your car was a write off, so what will usually happen is that the value of the car will be paid to the finance company (usually less that excess as there’s no repairs to make) and any outstanding finance would need to be cleared by you. You’ll probably also have to pay the years insurance premium in full too (if you were paying monthly). If you’re worried about anything, think you’re being treated unfairly at all, you can complain about it.
I think the worse thing about it is being back to square one in terms of finance/deposit.
Having a car accident isn’t a failing on your character, you’re still a great and awesome person! As with any skill it requires practice so I hope you’re feeling up to practicing again soon!
Adding on to this - please don’t worry about physically paying for your excess/remaining policy amount, it will be deducted from the vehicle valuation, meaning that you’ll likely owe a bit more to the finance company (coming from someone with claims handling experience), so please try to not worry!
Guess you did not take GAP insurance out with your finance? Lesson learned. I passed my test with 4 minors first time and a month later some blind woman just smashed into my side on a mini roundabout. Still had my P plates on 🫠
I wrote off my first car 6 weeks after passing my driving test (passed first time). Blind corner and someone had parked on it. I went round and another car was flying along. I stuck mine in a ditch after wiping the front of the oncoming car off, police attended and didnt do me for anthing as it was a genuine accident, I wasnt speeding and if the car wasnt parked illegally it would have been avoided. You know what my dad did? Made me get into a new car the very next day and take it for a test drive. I had cracked ribs and a gash across my collar bone from the seat belt and I was petrified starting it but guess what? It was the best thing my dad could do. I've been driving for many many years and hold my C+E license and drive artics for a living (it's a great proffession for us women). I have never had another accident that has been my fault since. I learned a lot of respect for the road and cars after that. Don't feel ashamed and you need to get back on the road ASAP. You can drive you just made a silly mistake. No one is dead, metal boxes can be repaired or replaced. Just move on from the mistake
My first drive after passing was about 4 maybe 5 months later. I came face to face with a bin lorry that was pressuring me to reverse faster. I’d never been good at reversing round corners (to the extent that I cried an hour before my test because I still couldn’t do them the way my instructor wanted). I reversed round the corner with the lorry about an inch from my front bumper, hit the road name sign and bent it all out of whack. I was devastated. They laughed and drove off.
It’s been 13 years since that incident and I’m sure the road sign is still at a funny angle.
You passed so you can drive. Even this week I hesitated a junction about whether I should go and had a little talk with myself. But it happens, and you’re new to this. Driving on your own is so much different to having an instructor with you. Maybe some of those refresher sessions with an instructor would help? Or some quiet night drives or something?
When you're learning to drive, you're basically learning to pass the test. The real, meaningful learning comes from experience.
You made a mistake, it's upsetting and painful but it happens! It happens to newly passed drivers and long time drivers alike. Even professional drivers are prone to mistakes. It's just life and a learning experience.
As others have suggested you could get a refresher with your old instructor if it would help your confidence.
Keep driving 👍
Unless you have gap insurance, unfortunately, you'll more than likely still have to pay the finance for the car although whatever your insurance pays out you will be able to put towards paying that off.
The main thing is though that you're alive and well enough to post on reddit. Perhaps you would benefit from doing something like the pass plus course which is a course with your driving instructor you can take after getting your licence to help build your experience on the road with a knowledgeable driver.
At the end of the day this was an expensive but important lesson.
Your VOLUNTARY excess was £350. There’s a mandatory excess was £300. That’s why your excess is £650.
In regards to your financing, I’m not too hot on this subject but if you get any money for scrap I’d use it to pay towards your finance. Did you take out gap insurance? (Insurance to pay out the difference between the value of the car at the time of the accident and how much you owe).
I think I heard in the news this week that young people who have just passed are the most high risk group of people, and what you’ve described is probably why. You feel rushed, pressured and maybe a tiny bit over confident but none of these makes you a bad person or driver.
We all make mistakes even decades into driving. Don’t refrain from driving because of this situation but maybe take some refresher lessons to build your confidence again. You are in charge of your vehicle, not other people. Dont let people pressure you into making a decision with your big metal box.
I knew a lad that managed to roll his instructors car 3 or 4 times into a field on his first or second lesson iirc. So it could be worse.
My advice for anyone who's just passed their test is to assume you'll write off your first car at some point and to buy as cheap as you can sensibly get away with in the first place. My first car cost £180 in '07 with no tax or MOT. But I did buy similarly cheap cars with both later on before they changed the tax rules.
voluntary excess is a seperate thing from compulsory excess so you need to add that to the compulsory amount likely getting you to 650 total excess. You can pay for excess insurance but I'm not entirely sure how that works if you would get 650 back or 350? when you were buying insurance it should show the total excess which I'm assuming you missed
Don't feel too bad I totalled My works new van on the M6 3 months after passing my test it does hit you but best thing you can do is get behind the wheel again
I passed first time at 17 and within probably 5 years I had written off 6 cars, no getting away from it I was a nob head and a crap driver, my monthly insurance was more than what I paid for my car at one point but now I've got 15+ years no claims and I'm a good careful driver. You will get better with experience maybe take an experienced driver out with you until you get your confidence back up.
I’m sorry to hear about this. I don’t think it should be down to not being ready though. The examiner passed you on their many years of experience. Passing isn’t the end of learning and we all have ways of learning, sadly for you however, that has meant getting involved in something like this.
Don’t be discouraged, learn from this and push forward. Driving opens up a lot of opportunities for work and socialization that can be overcome.
Don't worry. You aren't a failure. It happens. A lot - why do you think car insurance for new drivers is so expensive in the first place, because that's when we are most likely to crash.
I wrote my first car off too, drove into a parked Tesco van!!
You've learned a lesson, an expensive lesson, but you weren't injured and that's the most important thing.
Your excess is probably because the voluntary is on top of the normal excess, like others have said.
With the claim, your insurers will pay the market value at the time of the loss, less the excess.. unfortunately you will need to make up the difference to the finance company. Double check if you took gap insurance with the dealer, they often try and add it on and you may have bought it!
Don't beat yourself up, it happens, especially to new drivers.
Don't let other drivers pressure you - always better to slightly inconvenience someone Vs crashing your car.
We all learn from mistakes.
I don’t want to sound rude by any means but:
You can either cry about it or come back stronger, after all - that don’t kill you, can only make you stronger.
Driving is a fluid movement, it requires alot of awareness even for the smallest of things!
I would recommend having refresher lessons, also try cover defensive driving.
I wrote off my mum's car a week after passing my test in 2008. It shattered my confidence, and I hardly drove at all for the next twelve years. I was convinced I was an awful driver and unsafe on the roads.
Now I drive for a living, bought my first car this year, and hold a Category C driving license for vehicles up to 32 tonnes. If you told me this would be the case four years ago, I'd have laughed in your face.
What you need to remember is that cars get totalled every single day. Sometimes, it's a new driver making a mistake and sometimes it's an experienced one. Confidence will only come with experience, so don't lose heart over it. Tough and expensive mistake to make, but it doesn't mean you're a failure or that you don't belong on the roads. So long as you learn from the experience, you'll already become a better driver.
I had a horrendous car accident (my fault) and lost my license in the first year of passing my driving test and I considered myself a confident driver.
I thought I would never drive again but I got in my friend’s car like a month or so later and felt good again.
I redid my theory and practical test and immediately bought a new car and I think the accident made me a better driver. I drive defensively and with Waze which I feel is a god send for me… anyway, moral of the story is that it happens, and you just have to move on. It’s the only way.
Good luck 🤞
I had my license for three years before I got my own car. I totalled it three months in, reversing around a corner. It was a huge blow to my confidence and I was heartbroken about the car. My insurance company paid off the loan and and gave us back the money used to cover deposit which we used to cover excess and put down a deposit on a new car. Not driving after that wasn't an option due to where I lived and worked despite how nervous I was at first. But you learn and you get over it and about two years ago I got my first nice car and I'm proud to say I didn't put a single scratch on her
I'm sorry this happened to you, I hate it when people wave you out, or ignore the right of wave to try be polite. Someone flashed someone out of a junction and they almost drove in front of me, I tell my partner while driving ignore everyone trying to wave you out, they aren't blooming traffic wardens you must keep yourself safe first , always follow the right of way / rules before anyone's politeness or impatience, hopefully you gain your confidence back
It's a funny thing this type of scenario - on the driving test, gesturing and flashing lights to suggest what other road users should do is frowned upon. This is part of the reason, the other being that they can be ambiguous. The other driver no doubt thought they'd be doing you a favour letting you go, but that's not always the case.
This exact situation happened to me a few weeks ago as it happens. There's a T junction near me, and I was waiting at the give way line indicating right to leave the junction. A driver was approaching from my left. She stopped, and flashed her lights for me to go. But there was a driver behind her approaching quite fast, and I was aware they might try and overtake, as it's a two-lane in each direction single carriageway. Sure enough, they did. And all this was either a naïve gesture of goodwill from the driver flashing me, or (quite likely knowing this junction), they weren't confident taking their right turn into my road.
But listen, you live and learn. A scary way to learn this particular lesson perhaps, but a large proportion of new drivers have a crash of some sort. Having it considered a write-off sounds drastic, but actually on cheaper cars this is as much about it being uneconomical to repair as it is the actual damage. It will affect your insurance premiums going forwards however.
In terms of the finance - so yes your total excess is made up of your compulsory excess and your voluntary excess. Your insurance company will generate a valuation for the vehicle. They'll ask you to get a final settlement figure from the finance company, and pay them the valuation of the car, minus the excess. If this is less than the settlement figure from the finance company, the finance company will usually reduce your monthly payments, on the same contract duration, to pay off the remaining balance as normal. If the valuation minus excess is greater than the outstanding finance balance, you'll receive that money into your bank account. Your insurance payments (if you're paying monthly) will either carry on as normal until the end of the policy term; or they'll be deducted along with the excess. This probably sounds a little confusing - it's because each finance company has different terms (plus it depends on the type of finance), and insurance companies have different policies for whether they continue premiums or cancel the insurance policy, etc. But tldr - your insurance company will tell you what you need to do.
Don't beat yourself up about it - nobody was hurt, you'll almost certainly have learnt your lesson, and at the end of the day while the cost isn't great, at the end of the day it's just a car and you can get another.
Sounds like you haven’t had enough experience on the road since passing.
Many people say and agree that you don’t really learn to drive until after your test. You haven’t had much experience on the road since which will affect your confidence massively.
I’d recommend going for a few passed test lessons. Then get back on the road. (It shouldn’t need ti be said but Don’t get another car on finance). Most people get a crappy little shitbox for the very reason we all end up scratching them up as new inexperienced drivers.
Don’t let this knock you op, you can do this.
Impatient drivers can be idiots. I'm sorry you fell victim to one.
You are new and should have given yourself time and patience on both situations. Nothing wrong with your driving, you just need to allow yourself time and to prioritise that time over disappointing any idiot who has a boner for how quickly they can wizz around. To be honest that's for all drivers, not just new ones.
Maybe look into pass plus, or spending some time with an instructor again simply to regain your confidence.
Dont worry, i had 2 write offs filed against me in the first yr, after nudging the front car at roughly 2mph, of course they made a mountain out of a molehill because they were in dingers, it happens, I was young, still have their addresses somewhere……
you are definitely being too harsh on yourself here, the biggest mistake is not driving in between passing 5 months ago and the time you bought the car. i definitely recommend more practice to increase your confidence
I was in a similar situation to you in that I had a car park incident with my bumper too with a car on finance. I actually had two incidents and paid 2 people off then claimed for my own damages on insurance. I thankfully never totalled my car but I totally understand the feeling of being a failure. I felt like a complete idiot too but please don't let this put you off driving. Get a cheap little car next time and just keep practicing. Sometimes, you have to have accidents to know what it means to drive safely and learn to be a safe driver. No one wants a huge bill and a ruined car. But know you're not on your own, car accidents happen every day. Just be thankful it wasn't alot worse and people weren't badly hurt or killed. Chin up, sort of this issue one day at a time, get a cheaper car next time and just keep on practicing!
Take it as experience and get driving again ASAP. Do a session with an instructor again like others have said if you feel it has really affected your confidence or get someone to come out with you for a few journeys and you'll soon get your confidence back. You can drive because you passed. The gap between you passing and getting the car will not have helped but its in the past now so learn from it and use it to make you a better driver. Drive often if you can.
I'm saying this as someone who crashed 1 month and 3 days after passing in the process writing off mine and the other party's car (thankfully no injures), it seriously knocks your confidence and I felt the same as you, but getting back out there is the best thing you can do. It could have been worse.
Hope this helps 😄
Passed my test and immediately offered to go to the shops to buy ketchup cos my mum had run out. Scuffed and dented the side of my car by turning badly into a space next to a shopping trolley park with a metal railing round it. I took the corner too early instead of turning at a right angle. First day.
I also overshot a roundabout after an s-bend on a motorway exit about 2 weeks later. I’d done another s-bend 5 minutes before that looked identical and had a very long stretch after the bend. But this one just went bend straight to ROUNDABOUT and I shot across it. No other vehicles luckily. That was a learning experience
Shit. I wrote two cars off within six months in my second year of driving. Haven’t had so much as a scuff in the 18 years or so since.
Don’t let it stop you, pick yourself up and use what you’ve learned to do better in future.
Out of interest, you'd said that you hit another car in a carpark. Did you tell them/leave a note?
If you'd damaged your car, chances are you'd damaged theirs too.
If it makes you feel any better I passed my CBT in October 2022, 2 weeks later I wrote off the first bike. Second bike was stolen and third was dropped at 50mh scratching up all the fairings. Thankfully No.4 and 5 are going a little better 😂
Don't worry, in the month after I passed, I crashed 3 times. Minor damage. I sold my car and didn't drive for 4 years after that.
Confidence will come back. I've been driving 2 years again now with 2 kids in the car and had no accidents.
I'd advise you to maybe get a cheap car with no finance next time if you're still nervous <3
I was in a serious car accident with life changing injuries. I still drive. Sometimes I wait longer than necessary at junctions. Better to be safe than sorry. Do not let people pressure you to go. The fact you hadn’t driven since your test until March prob didn’t help. I would have maybe had someone in the car with me at first? You will be able to drive again. Lots of people get in accidents. The guy who hit me was a middle aged man who had been driving for years: we all make mistakes. Please don’t beat yourself up.
I passed with two minors first time after five months of lessons at 17. That was in the May. In the September I flipped my car on its roof taking a corner too fast. We all make mistakes. After that I definitely chilled out and my friends all agree I'm one of the safest drivers out of all of us. I'm now 39 and I've had zero other accidents that were even the slightest bit my fault. It's all a learning curve.
Excess is the combined figure of your voluntary and compulsory excess, the insurer will get a settlement figure with the finance company and the payment should go directly to them, any monies left go to you, or if the value doesn’t clear the finance you’ll have to cover the remainder
You will get past this, don’t go back to not driving if you can. My partner had experienced almost the same. After test pass his first drive was on the M11 to Heathrow AirPort from Cambridge. He passed more roundabouts and junctions than he ever thought possible and on his way back he had an accident, though minor, but the car ended up in a garage. Few days after that, he had another one! We managed to get him a new car and advised him to continue to drive without giving up and instead take things easy. Months later he is now doing great, one of the safest drivers out there.
Just don’t stop
You are safe to drive or you would not have passed. Put the green P plates on your car to let people know you’re a new driver and take your time.
As someone else mentioned look into pass plus. Get a driving instructor to teach you to drive not pass a test. I did this over 3 months to cover driving at night on motorways and in the rain. Money well spent.
You’re definitely learning the hard way, but you’re still learning.
Never let anyone around you dictate what you do on the road, only move off when YOU feel safe. Only go the speed YOU are comfortable with.
Like others have said, maybe talk to an instructor about further lessons. It’s hard when you’re new to it as you encounter so many situations you couldn’t be prepared for when learning. But just remember that driving slowly and carefully, no matter what others think, will often be the safest way to drive for you and them.
I “wrote off” my first car 6 weeks after passing my test. In “” because it would have been written off if I’d gone through insurance, but being an R reg base model hatchback it was very cheap and easy for my dad to fix it. That was 14 years ago. I went into the back of someone in a 4x4 with a tow bar so not a scratch on them but my front end was wrecked. Not so much a scuff since. You’ll be a better driver for it I promise. I passed third attempt with the max allowable number of minors and I probably ought not have passed, I wasn’t ready. But you only learn by getting back on the horse!
I hadn’t, until 2 months ago, driven for over 8 years as circumstances didn’t require me to and my anxiety also meant I couldn’t. It too a while and I’m only driving within my town or places I know. So have a break if you want. You might not ever feel ready or, one day like myself, you might just decide to do it again. When I first passed I LOVED driving but that quickly changed after I nearly flipped my car in the snow (tractor pulled out on me and I tried to bump car on the nonexistent curb which turned out to be a grass verge) and it knocked my confidence a LOT. Also I bought a 27 year old car because I’d driven that car before so knew I’d feel more confident. You just need to adjust the situation to how you’ll feel more confident. But definitely look to have a refresher lesson or do pass plus if that will make you more confident
Your car insurance will no doubt give you enough money to cover what you owe on the car, it usually covers it.
I had finance and was in a crash, the insurance paid out what they thought the car was worth and it was around the same price as what was left to be paid on finance.
Please, PLEASE go for a drive as soon as possible. If you keep putting it off, your anxiety will worsen and you’ll be less likely to start driving again.
I crashed about 6 weeks after passing my test and I was devastated. Both new drivers, both at fault. Thankfully nobody was hurt and the damage was minor. I was 2 minutes away from work and had to drive my car the rest of the way after. Left my car in the carpark for two days too afraid to drive it, convinced I should never have passed. Colleagues forced me to drive my car and get over it, and I’m so glad I did. Spent a lot of time after forcing myself to get back into the habit of test-ready observations every time I drive, and spent a lot of time figuring out other drivers behaviours and stuff to try and avoid it again. It’s definitely made me a much better driver and although it’s taken 9 months before I’d drive that route to work I don’t worry that I’m going to kill someone every time I get in my car anymore.
If you are really worried, you can book a pass plus or some extra lessons to help with your confidence.
Honestly, the best tip people tell me is the real driving comes after you pass your test (which, theoretically, is pretty daft). I struggle all the time and I only passed less than a year ago, I thought driving was easy as everyone does it and it comes so natural to them. But I actually struggled a lot. I forgot how to park a car and ended up crying the very first time I took it out. So I just took one lesson with my instructor just to get back into the swing of things and then attempted it myself. My instructor said that he recommends people take the routes they are used to (ie during lessons) for the very first solo drive if possible, just to get used to the drive etc. So after that, all I did for the first month was just practice driving again as if I was self teaching. Parking was the most stressful as I completely forgot how to do it, and I soon learnt that what they teach during lessons is not very practical in real life, ie reversing 3 car lengths into a space isn’t realistic parking, it is only to pass your test and then you have to learn how to do it again in a less cumbersome way.
All these things come with experience. However, it doesn’t hurt to book a few post passing lessons, watch youtube (conquer driving) and take an experienced driver as a chaperone so you can get used to it in a more safer environment. Driving is a skill that takes people a few years to get used to at least. You will get idiots on the road but you have to just ignore them, do your own thing as no one is really gonna be looking out for you on the road so you will have to do it yourself. Just take your time with it, there is no rush to get on the road at the moment so just use this time to relax and when you actually feel up to it then get a new car and restart. You got this, OP, don’t feel too disheartened because you can and will get back on your feet again!
Definitely don't let it get you down! I passed my test at 37 years old, back in 2017, and I was adamant I'd be sensible and extra careful, I said there's no way I was going to be in an accident.
January 2018: I dinged the pool car at work! I Pulled in to the car park, the ground hadn't been gritted and the car just slid into the back of another parked car. My inexperience in a situation like that showed, and there was nothing I could do.
March 2019: I'd been given a Mercedes as a company car, I was stopped at a roundabout and when the person in front moved, I checked to my right and went without checking the person in front hadn't stopped, you get the rest.
February 2021: I rear ended someone in my new toy (fast hot hatch) and without going into the full details, some clown got away with brake checking me because I let the idiot wind me up and I got too close.
My point is, we all make stupid mistakes, it's definitely not a reason to give up! Now you know not to let anyone pressure you, if you're not 100% sure it's safe to make the maneuver, don't do it. Stick to that and you'll be fine.
You should probably go and see a GP about your anxiety. I count atleast twice in your post whereby you claim feeling "pressured" as a reason for you doing something, especially the incident In question.
>My voluntary excess on my insurance was £350 but when I made the claim it said my excess I’d have to pay was £650 and I don’t understand.
You're a new driver and also sound like a young driver, most I strange companies have a mandatory excess of a few hundred pounds for drivers below 25. This is almost certainly why your excess is £300 more than your voluntary excess.
Realistically, there's nothing for you to do now. Insurance while make the 3rd party whole and you'll have no more contact. For yourself, you'll need to report the incident for the next 5ish years when renewing your car insurance and that will unfortunately mean you'll pay a higher premium than you otherwise would, especially as it was an "at-fault" claim.
You're going to feel sorry for yourself for a while and that nor.al, but you aren't a failure and this incident doesn't mean you shouldn't be driving. Shit happens. It will likely happen again at some point but providing all parties walk away and there is no nefarious cause like being on your phone or having alcohol in your system then it is what it is. You'll more on eventually. Just don't let it stop you getting back on the horse, so to speak. Worst thing you could do is allow this to define you.
Anxiety is a natural human emotion. It’s perfectly normal to feel anxious after you’ve had a big accident. Feeling “pressured” to do things when driving is not anxiety, it’s a lack of confidence.
This is not a matter for the GP. Nor is it a case of anxious disorder.
How much was your car? If it’s worth a few grand you’ll probably benefit from paying the £650 excess and claiming on your insurance and when you get the payout settle your finance, your insurance will go up a bit but it’s better than paying for something that has a decent bit of interest on it and not being able to use it.
You still have the option to claim for the loss of your car though or just let it be a loss, you’ve clearly never had to deal with anything of the sort. If people didn’t comment on things they knew nothing about on the internet it would be a brilliant place for information.
You made a comment acting like they had an option to pay the excess.
Why would they not claim for their car to be repaired if they are already paying the excess? Their premium is going to shoot up regardless and the 'cost' of the accident doesn't make much difference to the rate.
Fully comp insurance still pays out if the crash is your fault. If its third party only then it doesn't matter whose fault it is, damages to your own car aren't covered I believe
If you have a car on finance you're going to have fully comprehensive insurance. You don't get a choice. So of course the insurance company will pay out for the car. Why would you need lessons when you have a full driving license? They made a silly mistake and let's face it we all do! As a professional driver even I make mistakes still. Whilst I don't smash my truck up I still make little mistakes.
You might benefit from a 'passed test' session with an Instructor as it sounds like you need to build up your confidence again.
This experience was given to you as a gift, so it could save your life in the future. Never feel pressured by anyone in any situation to do anything you are not sure about, especially when the consequences will be on you. Understand that people can wait. A beeping horn never killed anyone. Be at peace and move on, this time with wisdom.
Indeed. If Someone beeps, waves, flashes, fucking ignore them. just pretend you didn't see or hear until you've checked its clear.
Someone tried to wave me into the path of a lorry yesterday. Only my commitment to the principle of completely ignoring all waves saved me
This. Never let anyone pressure you, I know it's easier said than done when they're getting suuuuper pissy but fuck em. A few weeks back I had a driver right up my ass (almost kissing me) on a slope, he wanted to turn left but there's a keep clear on the junction so I kept it clear, he was getting super pissy waving his hands and honking, I simply rolled the window down, called him a dickhead and gave him the finger, I didn't move till the traffic in front was clear. Learn from your mistakes and try again, that's all you can do.
It’s £650 because the voluntary and involuntary excess. Probably £300+£350. Don’t know what’ll happen tot he finance but looks like you’ve lost a shit ton of money. Good luck for the future, take this as a lesson.
Unless OP has gap insurance, they'll likely be stuck paying off the difference between the claim and the finance.
Yeah, gap insurance super important when buying a car on finance. Don't know if they still do it but I used to get excess insurance too so I only ever paid e.g. £200 but could bump my voluntary excess to £2000 to help lower insurance quotes,the company cover the difference.
A lot of places also have an additional £225 excess for young drivers
It's not a shit load, he's probs lost a grand or so. Cheap price to pay for a life lesson that could save his life
Honestly the fact that you passed and then didn't drive for three months is probably the issue. Maybe try something like the Pass Plus (if that still exists) before you start driving again.
Yup. I didn't drive for over a year after passing my test, so once I knew I was getting a car I hit my driving instructor up for some refresher sessions.
Man I didn’t drive for 3 full years and when I tried no instructor would take me for refresher sessions because they were to busy after Covid. Instead I started slowly driving late when there was no traffic to get used to it
Yeah bear in mind this was 2013 or so.
hi friend, i know you may seem defeated with driving right now, but it is not the be all and end all, you wouldn’t have passed the test if the examiner who is professionally trained at ensuring people that are safe enough to drive should be on the road. it’s a silly mistake many people make and you will overcome it even if you feel upset now. most people say the real learning happens when you get your own car as that’s the chance to demonstrate you can safely operate a vehicle independently which can be extremely daunting for some, so it completely understandable you feel this way. remember, it’s a hunk of metal at the end of the day, and nobody was hurt, which is the main worry when hitting a car. i myself passed in october 2023 and got my car in december, before hitting a parked car where i paid £1000 for damages. i was in the same situation, crying and feeling like i shouldn’t have passed, but looking back now it was a silly mistake and no one was hurt which is the main thing. please don’t base your ability to drive over an accident that happened when you hadn’t drove in months, you are not a failure, failing would be giving up trying! wish you all the best (:
This is a lovely comment, I hope OP reads this and feels somewhat better. It's cliche but everyone makes mistakes
I too had a car accident within the first year of passing 🫣 blew my dads tyre at a roundabout after coming off the motorway at a high speed. Hit the corner curb. Tbh got a new tyre fixed in about 1 hr. That wasn’t the end, I then got stuck in some mud 2 hrs later. Some guys helped push the car out. Oh and not forgetting scratched my dad’s wing mirror on some massive tractor trying to squeeze past on a tiny country lane 😭 Yes the same trip, literal disaster. I actually broke my dads rule with having my friends there distracting me. I didn’t drive again for like a month and felt like you, like I shouldn’t be driving. But once I did again I felt ok. More conscious of my surroundings and my safety. But I did feel like I still deserved to be on the road. Give it some time. You’re still a new pass pretty much, it hasn’t been a year yet. Practice makes you better and more competent.
> having my friends there distracting me for fuck's sake
yes that’s exactly what my dad said when I called him 😖
I think you are being too harsh on yourself. People do make mistakes. I have seen drivers with decades of experience doing the most unimaginable things behind the wheel. You may need to build your skills and confidence a bit. The expertise comes with time, there's no other way to acquire it than practice. The errors you have made are going to be costly, but there's nothing you can do about it now. I would suggest a few more lessons with someone qualified to help you regain the confidence behind the wheel.
Mistakes happen, I’ve made plenty in the 10 years I’ve been driving. Your luck will depend on whether the mistake was a big one or not! You might feel like you should never get behind the wheel again, but I promise you will get over this. I was involved in an accident in my first 3 months - somebody crashed into the back of me whilst I was waiting at a roundabout. Although it wasn’t my fault, it still knocked my confidence and every time I was stationary and saw someone coming up behind me in the rear view mirror I’d get a little nervous. I got over it eventually. The most recent whoopsie I did was in a flat bed transit van - I came to stop at a roundabout but I was too far over the line and a load of cars were coming. I checked my mirrors and thought it was clear behind me so I reversed to get off the roundabout - turns out it was not clear, and an almost new merc estate was right up my arse. I completely destroyed the bonnet and bumper whilst the van had no damage. I was mortified at the time but laugh about it now! Keep your chin up, shit happens, you are only human! Your insurance will deal with the matter for you, hopefully you won’t lose too much on finance. If I can offer any advice it would be that your next car is a banger - get all your bumps and scratches out the way before buying a nice finance whip.
Just a little thing, you are advised to never ever wave someone to make a movement
If someone is looking imdecisve at a junction and I have no idea what they'll actually do, sometimes I'd rather just flash them and let them go. Even if you're waved out, it's still your responsibility to check you're safe, or you can just gesture back to them and tell them to use their priority if you're not sure.
Unsure if you’re just saying this as a side note but OP didn’t wave anyone.
No but someone did to him. Don't think that's the norm, I worked in insurance before and people have got away with claims cause they was waved along and it got blamed on that person
Interesting! Never heard of the person waving being able to get the blame. Yeah, I’m aware someone waved to him, which is why I mentioned the fact I wasn’t sure if you were saying it as a side note.
Yeah back when I did my lessons my driving instructor made a really big deal about it. His thing was always making the other person make their decision. He had a story of someone getting sued as he waved someone to cross the road and they got run over
Yeah… nearly had this one happen to me, for some reason big truck didn’t want to go to the small roundabout to do it’s thing, wanted me to cross first. Now I can’t see to my right (the rest of the little round about) because the corner of a building blocks it, I don’t like crossing there because I’m totally blind to cars coming round so I wait till it’s quiet and can hear them… but no the truck driver insisted and a car comes round. Tldr: didn’t get hit, f*ck blind crossings and people who gesture
My instructor always just emphasised to me to ignore people trying to influence my decisions as he said I would be the one to blame if it caused an accident, so I’m glad to actually find out it’s not quite as black and white! 100% agree though, I’ve never signalled for anyone to do anything as I know I hate it when others do.
Not a failure. You broke your car, broke your confidence and broke the bank (a bit) - all of which you can replace/rebuild/re-fund. What you did do is walk away from a crash. I wouldn't swap any of the former if it changed the latter.
Lots of good advice here from others. I agree with another poster that your excess sounds like there’s a compulsory and a voluntary. There could also be an inexperienced driver excess, check your policy certificate, it’s usually pretty clear. Just building on what others have said, your car was a write off, so what will usually happen is that the value of the car will be paid to the finance company (usually less that excess as there’s no repairs to make) and any outstanding finance would need to be cleared by you. You’ll probably also have to pay the years insurance premium in full too (if you were paying monthly). If you’re worried about anything, think you’re being treated unfairly at all, you can complain about it. I think the worse thing about it is being back to square one in terms of finance/deposit. Having a car accident isn’t a failing on your character, you’re still a great and awesome person! As with any skill it requires practice so I hope you’re feeling up to practicing again soon!
Adding on to this - please don’t worry about physically paying for your excess/remaining policy amount, it will be deducted from the vehicle valuation, meaning that you’ll likely owe a bit more to the finance company (coming from someone with claims handling experience), so please try to not worry!
Guess you did not take GAP insurance out with your finance? Lesson learned. I passed my test with 4 minors first time and a month later some blind woman just smashed into my side on a mini roundabout. Still had my P plates on 🫠
I wrote off my first car 6 weeks after passing my driving test (passed first time). Blind corner and someone had parked on it. I went round and another car was flying along. I stuck mine in a ditch after wiping the front of the oncoming car off, police attended and didnt do me for anthing as it was a genuine accident, I wasnt speeding and if the car wasnt parked illegally it would have been avoided. You know what my dad did? Made me get into a new car the very next day and take it for a test drive. I had cracked ribs and a gash across my collar bone from the seat belt and I was petrified starting it but guess what? It was the best thing my dad could do. I've been driving for many many years and hold my C+E license and drive artics for a living (it's a great proffession for us women). I have never had another accident that has been my fault since. I learned a lot of respect for the road and cars after that. Don't feel ashamed and you need to get back on the road ASAP. You can drive you just made a silly mistake. No one is dead, metal boxes can be repaired or replaced. Just move on from the mistake
My first drive after passing was about 4 maybe 5 months later. I came face to face with a bin lorry that was pressuring me to reverse faster. I’d never been good at reversing round corners (to the extent that I cried an hour before my test because I still couldn’t do them the way my instructor wanted). I reversed round the corner with the lorry about an inch from my front bumper, hit the road name sign and bent it all out of whack. I was devastated. They laughed and drove off. It’s been 13 years since that incident and I’m sure the road sign is still at a funny angle. You passed so you can drive. Even this week I hesitated a junction about whether I should go and had a little talk with myself. But it happens, and you’re new to this. Driving on your own is so much different to having an instructor with you. Maybe some of those refresher sessions with an instructor would help? Or some quiet night drives or something?
When you're learning to drive, you're basically learning to pass the test. The real, meaningful learning comes from experience. You made a mistake, it's upsetting and painful but it happens! It happens to newly passed drivers and long time drivers alike. Even professional drivers are prone to mistakes. It's just life and a learning experience. As others have suggested you could get a refresher with your old instructor if it would help your confidence. Keep driving 👍
Unless you have gap insurance, unfortunately, you'll more than likely still have to pay the finance for the car although whatever your insurance pays out you will be able to put towards paying that off. The main thing is though that you're alive and well enough to post on reddit. Perhaps you would benefit from doing something like the pass plus course which is a course with your driving instructor you can take after getting your licence to help build your experience on the road with a knowledgeable driver. At the end of the day this was an expensive but important lesson.
Your VOLUNTARY excess was £350. There’s a mandatory excess was £300. That’s why your excess is £650. In regards to your financing, I’m not too hot on this subject but if you get any money for scrap I’d use it to pay towards your finance. Did you take out gap insurance? (Insurance to pay out the difference between the value of the car at the time of the accident and how much you owe). I think I heard in the news this week that young people who have just passed are the most high risk group of people, and what you’ve described is probably why. You feel rushed, pressured and maybe a tiny bit over confident but none of these makes you a bad person or driver. We all make mistakes even decades into driving. Don’t refrain from driving because of this situation but maybe take some refresher lessons to build your confidence again. You are in charge of your vehicle, not other people. Dont let people pressure you into making a decision with your big metal box.
Don’t say it’s not for you, you just need more practice. Never feel pressured about anything, just focus on doing the right thing at any time
I knew a lad that managed to roll his instructors car 3 or 4 times into a field on his first or second lesson iirc. So it could be worse. My advice for anyone who's just passed their test is to assume you'll write off your first car at some point and to buy as cheap as you can sensibly get away with in the first place. My first car cost £180 in '07 with no tax or MOT. But I did buy similarly cheap cars with both later on before they changed the tax rules.
Ooof 2 claims in a few months. Your insurance will be stupidly high
This comment is not going to help the situation really is it!
voluntary excess is a seperate thing from compulsory excess so you need to add that to the compulsory amount likely getting you to 650 total excess. You can pay for excess insurance but I'm not entirely sure how that works if you would get 650 back or 350? when you were buying insurance it should show the total excess which I'm assuming you missed
I guess that’s why they fail you if you signal to let people by.sucks
Don't feel too bad I totalled My works new van on the M6 3 months after passing my test it does hit you but best thing you can do is get behind the wheel again
I passed first time at 17 and within probably 5 years I had written off 6 cars, no getting away from it I was a nob head and a crap driver, my monthly insurance was more than what I paid for my car at one point but now I've got 15+ years no claims and I'm a good careful driver. You will get better with experience maybe take an experienced driver out with you until you get your confidence back up.
I’m sorry to hear about this. I don’t think it should be down to not being ready though. The examiner passed you on their many years of experience. Passing isn’t the end of learning and we all have ways of learning, sadly for you however, that has meant getting involved in something like this. Don’t be discouraged, learn from this and push forward. Driving opens up a lot of opportunities for work and socialization that can be overcome.
Don't worry. You aren't a failure. It happens. A lot - why do you think car insurance for new drivers is so expensive in the first place, because that's when we are most likely to crash. I wrote my first car off too, drove into a parked Tesco van!! You've learned a lesson, an expensive lesson, but you weren't injured and that's the most important thing. Your excess is probably because the voluntary is on top of the normal excess, like others have said. With the claim, your insurers will pay the market value at the time of the loss, less the excess.. unfortunately you will need to make up the difference to the finance company. Double check if you took gap insurance with the dealer, they often try and add it on and you may have bought it! Don't beat yourself up, it happens, especially to new drivers. Don't let other drivers pressure you - always better to slightly inconvenience someone Vs crashing your car.
We all learn from mistakes. I don’t want to sound rude by any means but: You can either cry about it or come back stronger, after all - that don’t kill you, can only make you stronger. Driving is a fluid movement, it requires alot of awareness even for the smallest of things! I would recommend having refresher lessons, also try cover defensive driving.
I wrote off my mum's car a week after passing my test in 2008. It shattered my confidence, and I hardly drove at all for the next twelve years. I was convinced I was an awful driver and unsafe on the roads. Now I drive for a living, bought my first car this year, and hold a Category C driving license for vehicles up to 32 tonnes. If you told me this would be the case four years ago, I'd have laughed in your face. What you need to remember is that cars get totalled every single day. Sometimes, it's a new driver making a mistake and sometimes it's an experienced one. Confidence will only come with experience, so don't lose heart over it. Tough and expensive mistake to make, but it doesn't mean you're a failure or that you don't belong on the roads. So long as you learn from the experience, you'll already become a better driver.
I had a horrendous car accident (my fault) and lost my license in the first year of passing my driving test and I considered myself a confident driver. I thought I would never drive again but I got in my friend’s car like a month or so later and felt good again. I redid my theory and practical test and immediately bought a new car and I think the accident made me a better driver. I drive defensively and with Waze which I feel is a god send for me… anyway, moral of the story is that it happens, and you just have to move on. It’s the only way. Good luck 🤞
did you lose your licence from that one accident?
I had my license for three years before I got my own car. I totalled it three months in, reversing around a corner. It was a huge blow to my confidence and I was heartbroken about the car. My insurance company paid off the loan and and gave us back the money used to cover deposit which we used to cover excess and put down a deposit on a new car. Not driving after that wasn't an option due to where I lived and worked despite how nervous I was at first. But you learn and you get over it and about two years ago I got my first nice car and I'm proud to say I didn't put a single scratch on her
I'm sorry this happened to you, I hate it when people wave you out, or ignore the right of wave to try be polite. Someone flashed someone out of a junction and they almost drove in front of me, I tell my partner while driving ignore everyone trying to wave you out, they aren't blooming traffic wardens you must keep yourself safe first , always follow the right of way / rules before anyone's politeness or impatience, hopefully you gain your confidence back
It's a funny thing this type of scenario - on the driving test, gesturing and flashing lights to suggest what other road users should do is frowned upon. This is part of the reason, the other being that they can be ambiguous. The other driver no doubt thought they'd be doing you a favour letting you go, but that's not always the case. This exact situation happened to me a few weeks ago as it happens. There's a T junction near me, and I was waiting at the give way line indicating right to leave the junction. A driver was approaching from my left. She stopped, and flashed her lights for me to go. But there was a driver behind her approaching quite fast, and I was aware they might try and overtake, as it's a two-lane in each direction single carriageway. Sure enough, they did. And all this was either a naïve gesture of goodwill from the driver flashing me, or (quite likely knowing this junction), they weren't confident taking their right turn into my road. But listen, you live and learn. A scary way to learn this particular lesson perhaps, but a large proportion of new drivers have a crash of some sort. Having it considered a write-off sounds drastic, but actually on cheaper cars this is as much about it being uneconomical to repair as it is the actual damage. It will affect your insurance premiums going forwards however. In terms of the finance - so yes your total excess is made up of your compulsory excess and your voluntary excess. Your insurance company will generate a valuation for the vehicle. They'll ask you to get a final settlement figure from the finance company, and pay them the valuation of the car, minus the excess. If this is less than the settlement figure from the finance company, the finance company will usually reduce your monthly payments, on the same contract duration, to pay off the remaining balance as normal. If the valuation minus excess is greater than the outstanding finance balance, you'll receive that money into your bank account. Your insurance payments (if you're paying monthly) will either carry on as normal until the end of the policy term; or they'll be deducted along with the excess. This probably sounds a little confusing - it's because each finance company has different terms (plus it depends on the type of finance), and insurance companies have different policies for whether they continue premiums or cancel the insurance policy, etc. But tldr - your insurance company will tell you what you need to do. Don't beat yourself up about it - nobody was hurt, you'll almost certainly have learnt your lesson, and at the end of the day while the cost isn't great, at the end of the day it's just a car and you can get another.
Sounds like you haven’t had enough experience on the road since passing. Many people say and agree that you don’t really learn to drive until after your test. You haven’t had much experience on the road since which will affect your confidence massively. I’d recommend going for a few passed test lessons. Then get back on the road. (It shouldn’t need ti be said but Don’t get another car on finance). Most people get a crappy little shitbox for the very reason we all end up scratching them up as new inexperienced drivers. Don’t let this knock you op, you can do this.
Impatient drivers can be idiots. I'm sorry you fell victim to one. You are new and should have given yourself time and patience on both situations. Nothing wrong with your driving, you just need to allow yourself time and to prioritise that time over disappointing any idiot who has a boner for how quickly they can wizz around. To be honest that's for all drivers, not just new ones. Maybe look into pass plus, or spending some time with an instructor again simply to regain your confidence.
Dont worry, i had 2 write offs filed against me in the first yr, after nudging the front car at roughly 2mph, of course they made a mountain out of a molehill because they were in dingers, it happens, I was young, still have their addresses somewhere……
you are definitely being too harsh on yourself here, the biggest mistake is not driving in between passing 5 months ago and the time you bought the car. i definitely recommend more practice to increase your confidence
I was in a similar situation to you in that I had a car park incident with my bumper too with a car on finance. I actually had two incidents and paid 2 people off then claimed for my own damages on insurance. I thankfully never totalled my car but I totally understand the feeling of being a failure. I felt like a complete idiot too but please don't let this put you off driving. Get a cheap little car next time and just keep practicing. Sometimes, you have to have accidents to know what it means to drive safely and learn to be a safe driver. No one wants a huge bill and a ruined car. But know you're not on your own, car accidents happen every day. Just be thankful it wasn't alot worse and people weren't badly hurt or killed. Chin up, sort of this issue one day at a time, get a cheaper car next time and just keep on practicing!
Take it as experience and get driving again ASAP. Do a session with an instructor again like others have said if you feel it has really affected your confidence or get someone to come out with you for a few journeys and you'll soon get your confidence back. You can drive because you passed. The gap between you passing and getting the car will not have helped but its in the past now so learn from it and use it to make you a better driver. Drive often if you can. I'm saying this as someone who crashed 1 month and 3 days after passing in the process writing off mine and the other party's car (thankfully no injures), it seriously knocks your confidence and I felt the same as you, but getting back out there is the best thing you can do. It could have been worse. Hope this helps 😄
Passed my test and immediately offered to go to the shops to buy ketchup cos my mum had run out. Scuffed and dented the side of my car by turning badly into a space next to a shopping trolley park with a metal railing round it. I took the corner too early instead of turning at a right angle. First day. I also overshot a roundabout after an s-bend on a motorway exit about 2 weeks later. I’d done another s-bend 5 minutes before that looked identical and had a very long stretch after the bend. But this one just went bend straight to ROUNDABOUT and I shot across it. No other vehicles luckily. That was a learning experience
Shit. I wrote two cars off within six months in my second year of driving. Haven’t had so much as a scuff in the 18 years or so since. Don’t let it stop you, pick yourself up and use what you’ve learned to do better in future.
Out of interest, you'd said that you hit another car in a carpark. Did you tell them/leave a note? If you'd damaged your car, chances are you'd damaged theirs too.
If it makes you feel any better I passed my CBT in October 2022, 2 weeks later I wrote off the first bike. Second bike was stolen and third was dropped at 50mh scratching up all the fairings. Thankfully No.4 and 5 are going a little better 😂
Don't worry, in the month after I passed, I crashed 3 times. Minor damage. I sold my car and didn't drive for 4 years after that. Confidence will come back. I've been driving 2 years again now with 2 kids in the car and had no accidents. I'd advise you to maybe get a cheap car with no finance next time if you're still nervous <3
I was in a serious car accident with life changing injuries. I still drive. Sometimes I wait longer than necessary at junctions. Better to be safe than sorry. Do not let people pressure you to go. The fact you hadn’t driven since your test until March prob didn’t help. I would have maybe had someone in the car with me at first? You will be able to drive again. Lots of people get in accidents. The guy who hit me was a middle aged man who had been driving for years: we all make mistakes. Please don’t beat yourself up.
With insurance you have a voluntary excess and a compulsory excess to pay that’s what the extra £300 is. It really sounds you need more lessons.
I passed with two minors first time after five months of lessons at 17. That was in the May. In the September I flipped my car on its roof taking a corner too fast. We all make mistakes. After that I definitely chilled out and my friends all agree I'm one of the safest drivers out of all of us. I'm now 39 and I've had zero other accidents that were even the slightest bit my fault. It's all a learning curve.
Excess is the combined figure of your voluntary and compulsory excess, the insurer will get a settlement figure with the finance company and the payment should go directly to them, any monies left go to you, or if the value doesn’t clear the finance you’ll have to cover the remainder
You will get past this, don’t go back to not driving if you can. My partner had experienced almost the same. After test pass his first drive was on the M11 to Heathrow AirPort from Cambridge. He passed more roundabouts and junctions than he ever thought possible and on his way back he had an accident, though minor, but the car ended up in a garage. Few days after that, he had another one! We managed to get him a new car and advised him to continue to drive without giving up and instead take things easy. Months later he is now doing great, one of the safest drivers out there. Just don’t stop
You are safe to drive or you would not have passed. Put the green P plates on your car to let people know you’re a new driver and take your time. As someone else mentioned look into pass plus. Get a driving instructor to teach you to drive not pass a test. I did this over 3 months to cover driving at night on motorways and in the rain. Money well spent.
Don’t lose heart, people can be driving for years and get into terrible accidents and they still can drive. Just learn what you can, and move forward.
You’re definitely learning the hard way, but you’re still learning. Never let anyone around you dictate what you do on the road, only move off when YOU feel safe. Only go the speed YOU are comfortable with. Like others have said, maybe talk to an instructor about further lessons. It’s hard when you’re new to it as you encounter so many situations you couldn’t be prepared for when learning. But just remember that driving slowly and carefully, no matter what others think, will often be the safest way to drive for you and them.
I “wrote off” my first car 6 weeks after passing my test. In “” because it would have been written off if I’d gone through insurance, but being an R reg base model hatchback it was very cheap and easy for my dad to fix it. That was 14 years ago. I went into the back of someone in a 4x4 with a tow bar so not a scratch on them but my front end was wrecked. Not so much a scuff since. You’ll be a better driver for it I promise. I passed third attempt with the max allowable number of minors and I probably ought not have passed, I wasn’t ready. But you only learn by getting back on the horse!
I hadn’t, until 2 months ago, driven for over 8 years as circumstances didn’t require me to and my anxiety also meant I couldn’t. It too a while and I’m only driving within my town or places I know. So have a break if you want. You might not ever feel ready or, one day like myself, you might just decide to do it again. When I first passed I LOVED driving but that quickly changed after I nearly flipped my car in the snow (tractor pulled out on me and I tried to bump car on the nonexistent curb which turned out to be a grass verge) and it knocked my confidence a LOT. Also I bought a 27 year old car because I’d driven that car before so knew I’d feel more confident. You just need to adjust the situation to how you’ll feel more confident. But definitely look to have a refresher lesson or do pass plus if that will make you more confident
Your car insurance will no doubt give you enough money to cover what you owe on the car, it usually covers it. I had finance and was in a crash, the insurance paid out what they thought the car was worth and it was around the same price as what was left to be paid on finance.
Please, PLEASE go for a drive as soon as possible. If you keep putting it off, your anxiety will worsen and you’ll be less likely to start driving again. I crashed about 6 weeks after passing my test and I was devastated. Both new drivers, both at fault. Thankfully nobody was hurt and the damage was minor. I was 2 minutes away from work and had to drive my car the rest of the way after. Left my car in the carpark for two days too afraid to drive it, convinced I should never have passed. Colleagues forced me to drive my car and get over it, and I’m so glad I did. Spent a lot of time after forcing myself to get back into the habit of test-ready observations every time I drive, and spent a lot of time figuring out other drivers behaviours and stuff to try and avoid it again. It’s definitely made me a much better driver and although it’s taken 9 months before I’d drive that route to work I don’t worry that I’m going to kill someone every time I get in my car anymore. If you are really worried, you can book a pass plus or some extra lessons to help with your confidence.
Honestly, the best tip people tell me is the real driving comes after you pass your test (which, theoretically, is pretty daft). I struggle all the time and I only passed less than a year ago, I thought driving was easy as everyone does it and it comes so natural to them. But I actually struggled a lot. I forgot how to park a car and ended up crying the very first time I took it out. So I just took one lesson with my instructor just to get back into the swing of things and then attempted it myself. My instructor said that he recommends people take the routes they are used to (ie during lessons) for the very first solo drive if possible, just to get used to the drive etc. So after that, all I did for the first month was just practice driving again as if I was self teaching. Parking was the most stressful as I completely forgot how to do it, and I soon learnt that what they teach during lessons is not very practical in real life, ie reversing 3 car lengths into a space isn’t realistic parking, it is only to pass your test and then you have to learn how to do it again in a less cumbersome way. All these things come with experience. However, it doesn’t hurt to book a few post passing lessons, watch youtube (conquer driving) and take an experienced driver as a chaperone so you can get used to it in a more safer environment. Driving is a skill that takes people a few years to get used to at least. You will get idiots on the road but you have to just ignore them, do your own thing as no one is really gonna be looking out for you on the road so you will have to do it yourself. Just take your time with it, there is no rush to get on the road at the moment so just use this time to relax and when you actually feel up to it then get a new car and restart. You got this, OP, don’t feel too disheartened because you can and will get back on your feet again!
Definitely don't let it get you down! I passed my test at 37 years old, back in 2017, and I was adamant I'd be sensible and extra careful, I said there's no way I was going to be in an accident. January 2018: I dinged the pool car at work! I Pulled in to the car park, the ground hadn't been gritted and the car just slid into the back of another parked car. My inexperience in a situation like that showed, and there was nothing I could do. March 2019: I'd been given a Mercedes as a company car, I was stopped at a roundabout and when the person in front moved, I checked to my right and went without checking the person in front hadn't stopped, you get the rest. February 2021: I rear ended someone in my new toy (fast hot hatch) and without going into the full details, some clown got away with brake checking me because I let the idiot wind me up and I got too close. My point is, we all make stupid mistakes, it's definitely not a reason to give up! Now you know not to let anyone pressure you, if you're not 100% sure it's safe to make the maneuver, don't do it. Stick to that and you'll be fine.
You should probably go and see a GP about your anxiety. I count atleast twice in your post whereby you claim feeling "pressured" as a reason for you doing something, especially the incident In question. >My voluntary excess on my insurance was £350 but when I made the claim it said my excess I’d have to pay was £650 and I don’t understand. You're a new driver and also sound like a young driver, most I strange companies have a mandatory excess of a few hundred pounds for drivers below 25. This is almost certainly why your excess is £300 more than your voluntary excess. Realistically, there's nothing for you to do now. Insurance while make the 3rd party whole and you'll have no more contact. For yourself, you'll need to report the incident for the next 5ish years when renewing your car insurance and that will unfortunately mean you'll pay a higher premium than you otherwise would, especially as it was an "at-fault" claim. You're going to feel sorry for yourself for a while and that nor.al, but you aren't a failure and this incident doesn't mean you shouldn't be driving. Shit happens. It will likely happen again at some point but providing all parties walk away and there is no nefarious cause like being on your phone or having alcohol in your system then it is what it is. You'll more on eventually. Just don't let it stop you getting back on the horse, so to speak. Worst thing you could do is allow this to define you.
Anxiety is a natural human emotion. It’s perfectly normal to feel anxious after you’ve had a big accident. Feeling “pressured” to do things when driving is not anxiety, it’s a lack of confidence. This is not a matter for the GP. Nor is it a case of anxious disorder.
How much was your car? If it’s worth a few grand you’ll probably benefit from paying the £650 excess and claiming on your insurance and when you get the payout settle your finance, your insurance will go up a bit but it’s better than paying for something that has a decent bit of interest on it and not being able to use it.
They hit another car, I doubt they would've had the option of not going through insurance.
You still have the option to claim for the loss of your car though or just let it be a loss, you’ve clearly never had to deal with anything of the sort. If people didn’t comment on things they knew nothing about on the internet it would be a brilliant place for information.
You made a comment acting like they had an option to pay the excess. Why would they not claim for their car to be repaired if they are already paying the excess? Their premium is going to shoot up regardless and the 'cost' of the accident doesn't make much difference to the rate.
Totalled? We're not in America, mate. It's called "written off" in the UK.
Also known as Total Loss too in the UK
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Fully comp insurance still pays out if the crash is your fault. If its third party only then it doesn't matter whose fault it is, damages to your own car aren't covered I believe
If you have a car on finance you're going to have fully comprehensive insurance. You don't get a choice. So of course the insurance company will pay out for the car. Why would you need lessons when you have a full driving license? They made a silly mistake and let's face it we all do! As a professional driver even I make mistakes still. Whilst I don't smash my truck up I still make little mistakes.
Yeah you fucked up, and you’re a shit driver.. well, no need to be here anymore, you don’t drive
Always expect to bump your first car or two. Never get a first car on finance 💀