What to Do If You're Afraid to Drive Fast?
4 Answers
Being afraid to drive fast is normal for novice drivers, but driving a car is not actually difficult—it's a process of gradually improving your skills. If you're hesitant to drive fast, you can place a "New Driver" sticker on the rear windshield of your car so that other drivers behind you will understand. Driving too slowly on the highway can pose safety risks, so it's important to gradually develop and refine your skills. You should first focus on practicing patiently.
When I first started driving, I was also terrified of going fast, with my palms all sweaty. Later, I found an empty industrial area road and practiced there early on weekends when there were fewer cars. I started by driving at 40 km/h for half an hour, and once I felt comfortable with the steering wheel, I increased to 60 km/h. After getting used to that, I added another 10 km/h. The key was to let my muscles memorize the steering force and braking distance at each speed. It took me three weekends to get used to the feeling of driving at 80 km/h on the highway. Now, before getting on the highway every day, I still check the tire pressure and brake pad condition—these details really boost my sense of security. Oh, and setting up the phone navigation route in advance to avoid last-minute lane changes is also a good trick. Now, I can easily drive at 120 km/h.
Last time when I was on a long-distance drive with a friend, he noticed I was always driving too cautiously and taught me a little trick: focus on vision. On the highway, instead of constantly checking the dashboard, extend your gaze about 150 meters ahead. This way, even though the car is moving, your field of vision remains stable, making the sense of speed feel lower. I practiced this method a few times on provincial roads and found that driving at 80 km/h now feels as steady as 60 km/h used to. Additionally, adjusting the rearview mirrors to reduce blind spots is especially important. Now, I make it a habit to check the mirror positions before every start. Most importantly, keeping the vehicle well-maintained is key. After switching to tires with better grip, I even feel confident speeding up a bit in rainy weather. Gradually finding your own comfortable rhythm is much safer than forcing yourself to accelerate.
My solution to this problem is quite down-to-earth: I put a sticky note on the steering wheel to remind myself to relax my arms. When the body is tense, the car tends to drift more. Since I forced myself to check my shoulder state every five minutes, my speed has unconsciously increased. Another trick is to turn up the navigation voice volume and set it to announce lane changes 500 meters in advance, so I don’t have to suddenly accelerate to overtake. During practice, controlling breathing rhythm is key—when nervous, try humming a song to relax. Now I can effortlessly cruise at 80 km/h.
