Context: I’m 19 and have had my driver’s license since last summer. I was never interested in driving, but my family pressured me into signing up for driving school (they said it’s a basic skill), so I did it and got my license - somehow - despite never feeling safe or in control behind the wheel during the learning process. I haven’t driven much since then, but on the few occasions I did, I still felt out of control. Two weeks ago, I had a pretty bad car accident due to failing to yield the right of way (I struggle with multitasking). I got hit by two cars. Thankfully, my boyfriend was with me. He’s a bit older and much more confident, extroverted, brave, and uninhibited - he managed to handle the situation with the other drivers and deal with all the protocols for me because I was completely overwhelmed and just crying. Thankfully, no one was hurt, so I only got my license suspended for 60 days, a fine, and I have to pay for the damages. My dad settled all of that already. Now I don’t want to ever drive again. But my dad says it’s fine and that every driver gets into an accident at some point.
It’s definitely an understandable way to feel after a bad accident. It’s really fortunate nobody was hurt! You’re a young and inexperienced driver, there’s a reason as a group y’all cost more to insure, lol. So it’s definitely something that’s common, and plenty more people (like me) have only avoided similar accidents through dumb luck.
Is giving up a car completely something that’s feasible for your location and lifestyle? Will you be able to get to work, meet with friends, and engage with your hobbies while relying on public transit, a bike, etc? If you can answer yes to all those questions, then giving up driving regularly might be feasible for you. If you can’t, then unfortunately you will have to either drive or rely on other people to drive you.
If it’s not practical to give up driving, I would really encourage you to take a defensive driving class. It will help you internalize the things you can be doing to avoid accidents before they happen. And if you do give up driving, keep your license renewed! It’s a total pain in the ass to get a license a second time, and there are times it’s practical to have one.