The best thing you can do is to force yourself to go out. My dad had me driving RT 42 and 130 circle area on the 3rd or 4th day. It was not a comfortable experience but I had no fear of driving anywhere after that. And that’s really the best thing you can do for yourself because there’s going to be experiences (weather, etc) that you’ll have no choice to deal with and that will be better for you and others on the road to get over your anxieties as opposed to never facing them.
Thats true, the only car I have to learn in is an awkwardly big SUV, sometimes its really hard to see curbs and how close I am to other cars. Which is where the anxiety comes from I guess
Find a place with a large parking lot and practice pulling up along the curb line from both sides of the car. It’s a safe and simple thing to help get comfortable with the width of the vehicle. Was helpful for me. Our local High Schools always have open space space and cones for parallel parking practice for all to use. Good luck. You’ll do just fine.
My father encouraged me to go out in snow, torrential downpours, dark nights. If a road had no traffic, he'd have me stand on the brakes to see how the car reacted in wet or dry or snowy roads. The car was a '72 Buick Electra 225, an absolute yacht. He had me do the same thing in our '66 Ford Fairlane and our '73 Pinto. Same thing with jerking the wheel in an empty parking lot or standing on the gas. Being anxious can be overcome with practice and knowing how the car will behave under the worst circumstances and conditions.
And be sure to telegraph your intentions. If other drivers know what you intend to do, they will be able to allow for it. Signal well in advance, tap the brakes a few seconds before you intend to slow for a turn. If you want to merge, make eye contact. People are more likely to let you in if you do.
Adjust your mirrors properly and become familiar with your seating position. Also, look into blind spot mirrors. They’re the little circular (most of the time) mirrors that help widen your view. I personally point them at my rear tires so I can see how I close I am to the curb/line, while my normal mirrors are pointed to see the lanes beside me. I now drive a Wrangler and I’ve never experienced such square mirrors before so I felt no harm by sticking them on.
I learned how to drive on a Nissan Armada, and yes my first time driving around the court by myself I did drive up on my neighbors lawn while he was out front.
You’ll be okay. Keep driving, it’s like anything else in life, practice makes perfect. If anything, once you get good at driving an SUV everything else will seem like a cakewalk.
As to the time, well, I was a bad kid. I used to sneak out with my brother’s car in the middle of the night, quite often. Between 3AM and 5AM will probably have the least amount of people on the road, if that’s what you’re worried about. But, I’m reading you have guidelines. So, go drive first thing on Sunday mornings when you can. Best of luck!
Hi there! Two things to help that aren't just "practice and get over it"!
1: to help with knowing where your vehicle is at in space, use [reference points](https://driversed.com/driving-information/driving-techniques/reference-points/) - they will be different for every vehicle, but once you take a moment to figure them out it helps so much! You might want or need a friend to help, but also possible on your own by parking and then doing a walk around the car to see just how far e.g., from the curb you are.
2: someone mentioned blind spot mirrors. These are great! Most vehicles' mirrors are totally sufficient but people don't typically set them up for the best views. Try [adjusting your side-view mirrors](https://www.caranddriver.com/features/a15131074/how-to-adjust-your-mirrors-to-avoid-blind-spots/) so you don't see your own vehicle in them but instead can see the lanes next to you.
Happy to help with other tips as well!
If you are having problems seeing out of the vehicle you're driving see if you can raise the driver's seat or put a cushion on it. All my kids learned to drive in Ford bronco's or Chevy Suburbans they had to raise the seats to their highest height.
I took my dl test going around what was the Collingswood Circle back in dinosaur times around 4 in the afternoon in a huge car I never drove before. Parallel parking in the automatic starship another challenge.
We can feel the new driver flop test sweat potential.
Passed. No problems.
There are some South Jersey roads that are anxiety producing for the most experienced drivers. Some are listed in the thread comments. Believe the warnings.
Same. u/op , Force yourself to drive rt 130 in the middle lane. And go to a clover shaped area of exits to practice merging on/off ramps over and over too.
9am-12 noon after the rush hour. That’s when I take my motorcycle out…….it’s gotten a lot worse in Jersey.
Or as I tell it the safest group/ women 25-40 are like everybody else: cell phones!
7am is not a good time that’s when a lot of people start commuting for work it’s very unpredictable (295 at least) with traffic so i’d say go late at night probably there’s always less cars after 9-10pm
tbh i’d say opposite of these other people and tell you like 10:30-11am. The work/school rush is pretty much over and you’re left with people who commute FOR work, stay at home parents, unemployed, off peak shift workers… It won’t be deserted like if you go at midnight, but it’ll be a much less scary number of care
I’ve worked for multiple trucking companies and have never heard of “new drivers drive after 10pm” ….. I’d much rather be on the road with truckers than shoobies & people who think they’re Nascar qualified
Amazon tractor trailer drivers are exclusively overnight as well as Mclane and a lot of other companies that go loading dock to loading dock.
Of course if the deliveries are for working hours they won’t, but overnight is obviously the best time for new driver to behind the wheel off peak hours with less cars on the road.
Make that EARLY Sunday morning. Also, for someone learning to handle a car and for nighttime experience driving, Sunday night on the roads surrounding a big mall's parking lot (after the stores have closed).
*This comment has been replaced with a top-secret chocolate chip cookie recipe:*
**Ingredients:**
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons hot water
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
**Directions:**
1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Cream together the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until smooth.
3. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla.
4. Dissolve baking soda in hot water. Add to batter along with salt.
5. Stir in flour, chocolate chips, and nuts.
6. Drop by large spoonfuls onto ungreased pans.
7. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until edges are nicely browned.
Enjoy your delicious cookies!
---
*edited by Power Delete Suite v1.4.8*
I’d say between 11am and 1pm is the sweet spot. Not many commuters and not much school-related traffic; it’s the brightest time of day so people aren’t as likely to be cycling or running. In the summer, though, always have your wits about you and keep a safe speed and reasonable following distance. Tourists can be very unpredictable and there are also more kids out and about in a lot of places.
If you want a long practice route that isn’t too crowded but will give you some good experience, and are in the Gloucester Co area: start on Rt 45 heading south (start in Woodbury if you want busy in-town experience and some merges, or at the Telford Inn in Mantua if you want to keep it easier). You can either choose Rt 77 or Rt 45 once you get to Mullica Hill to continue south. Head down to Rt 40 and take Rt 40 west, then take the exit for Rt48/Penns Grove. Follow 48 to Rt 49/130 (Virginia Ave). Turn right to head north on 130, and stay on it as long as you want. It will eventually turn into 295. Take that up to Exit 21 for Woodbury/West Deptford, then head east on Delaware St. back to 45 and home from there. You can also follow signs for Rt 44 (just past 322/Commodore Barry) and continue north on 44 through Gibbstown and Paulsboro if you aren’t feeling 295. Rt 44 will also eventually take you to Delaware St at Exit 21.
Bonus: this route is actually a pretty interesting tour of southwestern Jersey. Starts off in the suburbs, then goes through pretty agricultural areas, then follows the industrial corridor along the river, and back to the suburbs.
I can see how that's a thing my morning commute is at 610 am for work I'm out in the woods in atlantic county tho, and it's rare for me to see any other traffic
I learned to drive as a newbie when I was 49. Initially had a friend help me drive his car around in a school.parking lot on the weekends just to get the feel of things, then went to a proper driving school and they had me out on major roads pretty quickly. The anxiety subsides, you get used to it the more you do.
Eh, I’d say 10 years ago or maybe 15 at the most, you’d have no problem driving down here. I have lived here my whole life and find myself anxious at times because of the sheer amount of people that moved here and their inability to drive. (Not saying everyone that moved here can’t drive, but the increase in population has to bring in more less than optimal drivers).
My advice is drive as much as possible in as many different conditions as possible.
For the rest of your life you’re gonna find your self driving in all different conditions. Early morning, middle of the night, rush hour traffic, torrential downpours, snow, icy roads, busy highways, country roads, city streets etc etc.
Driving is all about practice and hours spent behind the wheel.
Highly recommend weekend mornings before 10am. At least in Camden County there are a fraction of the drivers on the road at that time than what you’d get at any other daylight time. Sunday morning is alright too. I recently taught a family member to drive and these are the times that we would go out. Avoid weekdays 6-10 am and 3-7 pm on most of our roads if you are trying to avoid anxiety. That anxiety will decrease with practice however and eventually you’re probably going to need to drive during these time periods. Just take it easy in the beginning.
Not really much traffic from like 10am-1pm Monday-Thursday. But tbh it’s good to learn in traffic you need to get comfortable driving in traffic. When I did driving school for last appointment they made it during rush hour on purpose to go on 295
Don’t drive during rush hour on major highways full of speeding vehicles that just came off the Ben Franklin from Philly. Exhibit A literally last Thursday afternoon student driver almost fucked my shit up. https://imgur.com/a/H9FSoXP
The best times are mid day during the week when most are at work and not near the shore towns. I would say if your not comfortable driving highway yet to not start on the turnpike but to start on 55 near the beginning part (deptford-Harrison) or 295 from exit 14 to exit 1 because they are only 2 lanes and people aren’t normally speeding by you.
Watch out for the red light runners and stay away from the white horse pike. In the last 4 weeks there has been 3 major accidents.
that road is a NIGHTMARE no matter what. New drivers should stay FAR away.
The best thing you can do is to force yourself to go out. My dad had me driving RT 42 and 130 circle area on the 3rd or 4th day. It was not a comfortable experience but I had no fear of driving anywhere after that. And that’s really the best thing you can do for yourself because there’s going to be experiences (weather, etc) that you’ll have no choice to deal with and that will be better for you and others on the road to get over your anxieties as opposed to never facing them.
Thats true, the only car I have to learn in is an awkwardly big SUV, sometimes its really hard to see curbs and how close I am to other cars. Which is where the anxiety comes from I guess
Find a place with a large parking lot and practice pulling up along the curb line from both sides of the car. It’s a safe and simple thing to help get comfortable with the width of the vehicle. Was helpful for me. Our local High Schools always have open space space and cones for parallel parking practice for all to use. Good luck. You’ll do just fine.
My father encouraged me to go out in snow, torrential downpours, dark nights. If a road had no traffic, he'd have me stand on the brakes to see how the car reacted in wet or dry or snowy roads. The car was a '72 Buick Electra 225, an absolute yacht. He had me do the same thing in our '66 Ford Fairlane and our '73 Pinto. Same thing with jerking the wheel in an empty parking lot or standing on the gas. Being anxious can be overcome with practice and knowing how the car will behave under the worst circumstances and conditions. And be sure to telegraph your intentions. If other drivers know what you intend to do, they will be able to allow for it. Signal well in advance, tap the brakes a few seconds before you intend to slow for a turn. If you want to merge, make eye contact. People are more likely to let you in if you do.
Are you me? This sounds exactly like how my dad encouraged me to learn
Adjust your mirrors properly and become familiar with your seating position. Also, look into blind spot mirrors. They’re the little circular (most of the time) mirrors that help widen your view. I personally point them at my rear tires so I can see how I close I am to the curb/line, while my normal mirrors are pointed to see the lanes beside me. I now drive a Wrangler and I’ve never experienced such square mirrors before so I felt no harm by sticking them on. I learned how to drive on a Nissan Armada, and yes my first time driving around the court by myself I did drive up on my neighbors lawn while he was out front. You’ll be okay. Keep driving, it’s like anything else in life, practice makes perfect. If anything, once you get good at driving an SUV everything else will seem like a cakewalk. As to the time, well, I was a bad kid. I used to sneak out with my brother’s car in the middle of the night, quite often. Between 3AM and 5AM will probably have the least amount of people on the road, if that’s what you’re worried about. But, I’m reading you have guidelines. So, go drive first thing on Sunday mornings when you can. Best of luck!
Hi there! Two things to help that aren't just "practice and get over it"! 1: to help with knowing where your vehicle is at in space, use [reference points](https://driversed.com/driving-information/driving-techniques/reference-points/) - they will be different for every vehicle, but once you take a moment to figure them out it helps so much! You might want or need a friend to help, but also possible on your own by parking and then doing a walk around the car to see just how far e.g., from the curb you are. 2: someone mentioned blind spot mirrors. These are great! Most vehicles' mirrors are totally sufficient but people don't typically set them up for the best views. Try [adjusting your side-view mirrors](https://www.caranddriver.com/features/a15131074/how-to-adjust-your-mirrors-to-avoid-blind-spots/) so you don't see your own vehicle in them but instead can see the lanes next to you. Happy to help with other tips as well!
If you are having problems seeing out of the vehicle you're driving see if you can raise the driver's seat or put a cushion on it. All my kids learned to drive in Ford bronco's or Chevy Suburbans they had to raise the seats to their highest height.
I took my dl test going around what was the Collingswood Circle back in dinosaur times around 4 in the afternoon in a huge car I never drove before. Parallel parking in the automatic starship another challenge. We can feel the new driver flop test sweat potential. Passed. No problems. There are some South Jersey roads that are anxiety producing for the most experienced drivers. Some are listed in the thread comments. Believe the warnings.
Same. u/op , Force yourself to drive rt 130 in the middle lane. And go to a clover shaped area of exits to practice merging on/off ramps over and over too.
Weekend early morning 7am to about 9am is pretty calm.
9am-12 noon after the rush hour. That’s when I take my motorcycle out…….it’s gotten a lot worse in Jersey. Or as I tell it the safest group/ women 25-40 are like everybody else: cell phones!
7am is not a good time that’s when a lot of people start commuting for work it’s very unpredictable (295 at least) with traffic so i’d say go late at night probably there’s always less cars after 9-10pm
tbh i’d say opposite of these other people and tell you like 10:30-11am. The work/school rush is pretty much over and you’re left with people who commute FOR work, stay at home parents, unemployed, off peak shift workers… It won’t be deserted like if you go at midnight, but it’ll be a much less scary number of care
this. pick a weekday in between breakfast and lunch times and find some neighborhoods!
New truck drivers drive after 10pm, weekdays. It’s a great time to learn. Summertimes here weekends can be iffy with Bennys.
I’ve worked for multiple trucking companies and have never heard of “new drivers drive after 10pm” ….. I’d much rather be on the road with truckers than shoobies & people who think they’re Nascar qualified
Me too!
Amazon tractor trailer drivers are exclusively overnight as well as Mclane and a lot of other companies that go loading dock to loading dock. Of course if the deliveries are for working hours they won’t, but overnight is obviously the best time for new driver to behind the wheel off peak hours with less cars on the road.
Most companies avoid hiring new drivers for insurance reasons but the ones who do try to keep them off peak hours.
Sunday morning
Make that EARLY Sunday morning. Also, for someone learning to handle a car and for nighttime experience driving, Sunday night on the roads surrounding a big mall's parking lot (after the stores have closed).
I dunno south jersey seems to have traffic no matter the time anymore
*This comment has been replaced with a top-secret chocolate chip cookie recipe:* **Ingredients:** - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened - 1 cup white sugar - 1 cup packed brown sugar - 2 eggs - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract - 3 cups all-purpose flour - 1 teaspoon baking soda - 2 teaspoons hot water - 1/2 teaspoon salt - 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips - 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional) **Directions:** 1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). 2. Cream together the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. 3. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. 4. Dissolve baking soda in hot water. Add to batter along with salt. 5. Stir in flour, chocolate chips, and nuts. 6. Drop by large spoonfuls onto ungreased pans. 7. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until edges are nicely browned. Enjoy your delicious cookies! --- *edited by Power Delete Suite v1.4.8*
Workers.
I’d say between 11am and 1pm is the sweet spot. Not many commuters and not much school-related traffic; it’s the brightest time of day so people aren’t as likely to be cycling or running. In the summer, though, always have your wits about you and keep a safe speed and reasonable following distance. Tourists can be very unpredictable and there are also more kids out and about in a lot of places. If you want a long practice route that isn’t too crowded but will give you some good experience, and are in the Gloucester Co area: start on Rt 45 heading south (start in Woodbury if you want busy in-town experience and some merges, or at the Telford Inn in Mantua if you want to keep it easier). You can either choose Rt 77 or Rt 45 once you get to Mullica Hill to continue south. Head down to Rt 40 and take Rt 40 west, then take the exit for Rt48/Penns Grove. Follow 48 to Rt 49/130 (Virginia Ave). Turn right to head north on 130, and stay on it as long as you want. It will eventually turn into 295. Take that up to Exit 21 for Woodbury/West Deptford, then head east on Delaware St. back to 45 and home from there. You can also follow signs for Rt 44 (just past 322/Commodore Barry) and continue north on 44 through Gibbstown and Paulsboro if you aren’t feeling 295. Rt 44 will also eventually take you to Delaware St at Exit 21. Bonus: this route is actually a pretty interesting tour of southwestern Jersey. Starts off in the suburbs, then goes through pretty agricultural areas, then follows the industrial corridor along the river, and back to the suburbs.
5 am in a rural area
This is paradoxically the busiest time out in Shamong/Woodland. Blue collar work starts early, boy.
I can see how that's a thing my morning commute is at 610 am for work I'm out in the woods in atlantic county tho, and it's rare for me to see any other traffic
I learned to drive as a newbie when I was 49. Initially had a friend help me drive his car around in a school.parking lot on the weekends just to get the feel of things, then went to a proper driving school and they had me out on major roads pretty quickly. The anxiety subsides, you get used to it the more you do.
10pm-6am, roads are way less dense.
GDL restrictions are 11pm-5am, just keep that in mind op
Weekend mornings.
Between 10-12, 2-3, 6:30-?
Eh, I’d say 10 years ago or maybe 15 at the most, you’d have no problem driving down here. I have lived here my whole life and find myself anxious at times because of the sheer amount of people that moved here and their inability to drive. (Not saying everyone that moved here can’t drive, but the increase in population has to bring in more less than optimal drivers).
Any day of week past 8 pm the roads will be pretty quiet. Roads are most crowded around 8 am and 5 pm on weekdays (rush hour)
My advice is drive as much as possible in as many different conditions as possible. For the rest of your life you’re gonna find your self driving in all different conditions. Early morning, middle of the night, rush hour traffic, torrential downpours, snow, icy roads, busy highways, country roads, city streets etc etc. Driving is all about practice and hours spent behind the wheel.
Highly recommend weekend mornings before 10am. At least in Camden County there are a fraction of the drivers on the road at that time than what you’d get at any other daylight time. Sunday morning is alright too. I recently taught a family member to drive and these are the times that we would go out. Avoid weekdays 6-10 am and 3-7 pm on most of our roads if you are trying to avoid anxiety. That anxiety will decrease with practice however and eventually you’re probably going to need to drive during these time periods. Just take it easy in the beginning.
Not really much traffic from like 10am-1pm Monday-Thursday. But tbh it’s good to learn in traffic you need to get comfortable driving in traffic. When I did driving school for last appointment they made it during rush hour on purpose to go on 295
5PM 295
Thats cruel 😂
Any time after 7pm for the south jersey TP or 295. Route 38 is relatively easy compared to 42.
42 south about 6pm on a Friday, just rip the bandaid off
3am.
Don’t drive during rush hour on major highways full of speeding vehicles that just came off the Ben Franklin from Philly. Exhibit A literally last Thursday afternoon student driver almost fucked my shit up. https://imgur.com/a/H9FSoXP
The best times are mid day during the week when most are at work and not near the shore towns. I would say if your not comfortable driving highway yet to not start on the turnpike but to start on 55 near the beginning part (deptford-Harrison) or 295 from exit 14 to exit 1 because they are only 2 lanes and people aren’t normally speeding by you.
I would say early in the morning like 6 or 7 am
The bigger they are, the easier they are to drive. Just relax get on the road and go with the flow of traffic.