Do You Consider Yourself a Good Driver?

[Leonidae]

Me, a good driver? No. But most certainly above average, thanks to the fact that I've mostly driven older/basic cars that haven't got the nannies saving me when I do something stupid.. And Finnish winters really taught me to brake early and carefully to avoid locking the brakes and plowing off the road. I've survived from fishtailing FWD(50mph+ on gravel road is not a good idea), close call with a moose.. Oh, and my former schools infamous Daihatsu Hi-Jet 1000 taught me how to go straight on cambered, icy road with RWD that has light rear end. Longest drift I ever made, and on straight road.

 

[Spec M]

Schumacher drove a FIAT van into a gatepost...

I don't blame him.

ROFL !

 

[LaBounti]

I am a safe driving instructor. However when i rode my motorcycle or when i drove my CTS-V For some reason i can not control myself. I blame my age of 29 at the time......

 

[mustangGT90210]

Do I consider myself a good driver, you ask... Legally, yes, I'm a great driver. Never had a ticket, been pulled over, always signal, never go more than 5 over, and do what I should. Now, in a real sense, I know I'm not the best, but I'd give myself slightly above average. Why? Because I'm very careful when I drive, don't tailgate, and I don't even force my way into anything. If I don't think I can fit what I'm driving into a space without scaring the person I'll be going in front of, I don't go to that spot. I've never hit anything, curb, sign, tree, etc. Florida is a land of downright horrible drivers, it takes a fair bit of skill just to not be hit by them.

Now, I'm not perfect. I've nearly changed lanes right into the side of a car because they are lower than my bed rails, and didn't show up in my mirrors. I like to take turns too fast in my dads mustang(not to lose grip, but just at a spirited pace), accelerate like an ass in my moms escape 5 speed, and in my truck, I'm probably annoying to other people because I ease onto the gas, and it gets up to speed real slow, I'm just trying not to kill my gas mileage. I get 17mpg like that.

In the 2 years and 3 months I've been driving, I've only been in once accident. It was in february of '08, and in no way my fault. I was on a rural 2 load road, with 2 cars behind me, both 1 crown vic, 1 grand marquis. Anyways, I put my blinker on, and was slowing down, then started my left turn into this neighborhood. Apparently the kid 2 cars back in the crown vic didn't like me slowing down, because as I was slowing down(a little faster than normal, almost missed my turn), he pulled out into the left(oncoming) lane to pass me and the lady behind me. He was doing about 60 by the time he "met" the Mustang, slammed into the drivers side fender, right at the fender badge. He then slammed over a curb and spun 3 times before coming to a stop right before the ditch on the side of the road. There was nothing I could of done to avoid him.

That's the only blemish on my record, and apparently it's hurting my insurance rates too, even though I was not at fault

My mantra is this: a good driver never makes their passengers nervous. By this measure alone, I can count on two hands the people I know who I consider to be "good" drivers.

By your logic here, I'm a good driver. People that have never ridden with me are put to sleep from my driving because of it's smoothness. It's kinda demeaning, I'll just be talking to someone in the middle of the day, and next thing I know they're unresponsive

I have liability only on my car.

I have liability only on my truck. Just putting me on parents policy added a 1300 dollar premium, the truck is another 700. So that's 2000 a year for insurance, with the truck and insurance in my parents name. How is yours so low?

 

[McLaren]

Depends on the car. In the BMW, I drive like a saint. I don't tailgate, watch my mirrors, & the only time I speed is when I end up doing 80 when I thought I was doing 70. I take the utmost care.

With the other 2, I have too much of a leadfoot. I suddenly hate it when anyone in front of me decides to do 10 under, or when a car gets in front of me & just does 48 in a 50. On the tollway, I'm constantly anywhere from 75 to 80Mph in the left lane. And because I like to get up to the speed limit, I also have a habit of taking off from the lights. Granted, I do always use my turn signal, check mirrors, never pull out unless I'm sure, look over my shoulder for a quick glance, etc., but speeding is just a nasty habit in these 2.

Despite all this, I do have a pretty clean record. No at fault accidents, no speeding tickets *knock on wood*. However, I don't really see a driving record as an example of how good someone is.

 

[Jetboy.]

Whether people will get into a car you're driving for a second time is a good indicator. Whether they will allow you - or even ask you - to drive their own car is another one.

Here was a point I was thinking of making but didn't feel (for whatever reason) it would matter in this discussion. Going by this rationale, I'm doing quite well. Between one boss letting me drive his personal car to pick up a part 16 miles away, another boss letting me pilot a 13-speed Semi Truck through a lot unattended, my own mrs' father (A truck driver of 40 years himself, he doesn't even trust his own wife..), and various other instances of people leaving me drive their car and/or park/arrange it.

The one I still can't believe is the father-in-law trusting me to drive his brand new car to prom, where other morons would be driving cars that are way too powerful or not theirs..


Funny how the driving gene isn't all that ginetic. My brother sucks. That's not even supremecist attitude. When a guy weaves from lane centre to shoulder and back, saying he's just nervous and shortly thereafter: "Those telephone poles look too close.."


Also, I feel the amount you take care of your car reflects a good deal upon your driving ability. A person who doesn't care that, for example, their brakes are almost worn into the pad-backings, indicate not only do they ride brakes, but they're willing to take my life and anyone else's they pass with neglect. That to me is another demonstration of poor ability.



Cheers,
Jetboy

 

[Leadfoot53]

Err, no. The reason car insurance costs more for younger drivers is because younger drivers are not only involved in but cause more crashes than almost any other demographic - young males specifically more than any other - with a higher rate of injury and death. It's not "jacked up" because people think young drivers are bad drivers, it's the price it is because actuarial data says that they are. A male under 21 is more likely to cause a crash every mile he drives than anyone else.


To answer the question, I think I am an acceptable driver, but I'm a better driver today than I was yesterday. "Good" isn't measured by how fast you can get from A to B or even car control - so the example of Jaime Alguersuari being a "good" young driver simply because he's an F1 driver isn't valid. I'd say it was more whether you can get from A to B without, by your actions, inconveniencing other drivers or requiring them to take action (there's always people who will inconvenience themselves through no fault of yours because they are dreadful drivers) - and being able to do the same in any conditions. Whether people will get into a car you're driving for a second time is a good indicator. Whether they will allow you - or even ask you - to drive their own car is another one

However, it's important to recognise that everyone makes mistakes, even good drivers. Better drivers don't make the same one twice.

That actually is what I have been trying to tell you guys. I have a friend that I drive around almost every other day when I hang out with him (he is over 20, so I am not breaking california laws) and they are not scared for me driving.

I'll admit, I have made mistakes driving. The most recent one i remember is when I locked up the tires and overshot a stop sign like in september, but I havent done that ever since then. I tend to err on the side of caution while driving.

 

[McLaren]

That actually is what I have been trying to tell you guys. I have a friend that I drive around almost every other day when I hang out with him (he is over 20, so I am not breaking california laws) and they are not scared for me driving.

Whether or not they are scared is a bit of an unknown point & varies between people. My friends aren't afraid of me driving fast, while my female friends tend to get uneasy.

I also have no problem riding with my friends either, though I get uneasy with the girls sometimes. I will get nervous if I ride with someone new as well, doesn't matter who you are. I just don't know their driving style & it takes me a while to adjust & trust someone's judgment.

 

[Bones Brigade]

Am I a safe driver?

My record says yes. Some would argue. I am always aware (don't take phone calls, text, eat, etc.) but I suppose that the reality is, I often partake in driving that is far too spirited for public roads. I can argue that I only have fun when the roads permit, but that's just an excuse.



Am I a good driver?

In what manner? When driving like an adult (see; not spirited) on public roads, yes. That is, I know how to navigate the lanes of traffic and know what each part of the road is intended for and I do not impeach upon those with using them in ways they weren't intended. I know when to brake, when to shift, HOW to shift, what to do in an emergency, etc.

Could I go to a track and be (relative to similar cars) competitive ? Absolutely not. Drift event? Nope. Drag strip? More than likely. Can I hold a drift in a rear drive car? Not for long, but I can certainly keep the power down and catch the rear end if I get too liberal too early. Can I trail brake into a corner? Most definitely, if we're talking about Gran Turismo with a G25. Basically, I'm competent at maybe 7/10 (of a 350z, the car I'm most experienced with, that isn't a front drive eco.) Can I drive a mid engined car? Maybe at 5/10s. AWD? I'm working on it now.

Basically, I'm a good enough driver to not embarrass myself at a track, wrap my car around a tree, find myself in a ditch, rear end someone, or kill someone. (Public hooning, notwithstanding.)

 

[Glubags]

As far as driving legally on the road, I've got 11 years under my belt. In those 11 years, I've been in two accidents. One in a parking lot, stopped behind a line of traffic waiting to exit the lot, when all of a sudden, the parked Yukon on my passenger side throws it into reverse and puts her trailer hitch into my passenger door. Cars in front and behind me, leaving me nowhere to go... just had to honk my horn and cringe when I realized it wasn't working. I guess my car was too low for her to see it in her rearview, but she would've seen me had she checked her side mirrors. I was furious and treated the woman like an idiot, despite learning she was a lawyer and likely very intelligent. Her insurance covered the new door shell, so all was well. This is what it looked like, click for larger version:



Karma paid me back for treating her like such a moron only a few weeks later. Traffic began moving after sitting at a red light, so I began moving with it and turned briefly to ask my girlfriend at the time what she wanted to eat. Should never have taken my eyes off the road. I turned back to see traffic had stopped again because someone was hanging halfway out of a left-hand turn lane which was already full, so their rear end was blocking our left-most lane, stopping everyone ahead. Cars beside me to the right, short concrete wall to the left. Nowhere to go. I was able to brake enough to minimize the impact... hurt my pride more than anything, being totally at fault. Had to pay for a new rear bumper for the guy I hit, as well as a new front bumper, hood, and passenger-side headlight for myself:



Disregard the Pikachu... that was my gf's nickname for the car and she bought it and forced me to accept it.

It's funny... I spent 11 years driving only to have my only two accidents happen within the same month. My insurance company pretty much hated me for a while there. Altogether I've been driving for 16 years or so, maybe longer. My dad tought me how to drive in his '77 Bronco on the farmland where he grew up. Despite the one major blemish on my record, I'd say I'm a very safe/good driver in terms of abiding by laws of the road and being defensive and aware.

Now, as for being a "good" driver in the performance sense, I'd say I've got far more car control than anyone I've ever had the pleasure (or displeasure) of riding with, in both my car and theirs. I've still got a lot to learn though. I'd give myself a 7.5/10.

 

[Barracuda]

Now that I think of it I guess I'm a better driver than what I previously said despite my tendencies. I always signal even if no one is there, I don't go through yellows unless I know I can't safely stop, and I drive decently most of the time. On the other hand I have terrible road rage, not enough to actually start messing with people, but I become outraged over the smallest things. That's mostly my personality though, I have pretty bad anger control issues.

A lot of it has to do with what vehicle I'm driving too. With my Volvo it's just a beater I'm using to get to school so I tend to drive a lot worse than I did with the Barracuda. When I'm driving the Barracuda I'm always very safe when it comes to traffic especially since the lack of power anything plus the weight practically cuts my stopping and maneuvering ability in half. There have still been some hairy moments when the person in front doesn't realize that a 43 year old car can't stop like their brand new BMW and I've had the brakes lock up though.

I like what famine said about whether people will get in your car a second time. By no means am I the most knowledgeable person when it comes to car control, but my friends trust me more than others when it comes to messing around when I'm in control. My friend has no problem letting me drive his civic because, although I might take it farther than he would, he knows I at least semi know what I'm doing and what the car is going to do compared to him almost sliding us into a fence. The whole confession booth thing was a week point obviously, but like I said I'm not perfect, and I trusted him to know how to handle it.

 

[Jondot]

Uhm, no.

In my defense, the concrete post crept up on me.


...anyway, I'd say that I used to think I was a good driver (around the time of my test, I'd say). I had an excellent instructor, and as far as the DVLA were concerned I was doing everything by the book. 7 months later and.... mmmno, not anymore. I don't suppose I've got worse (although perhaps I have a bit), it's just that I've been thrown out of my comfort zone for the last 3 months and it's made me realise just how alert I need to be compared to how alert I usually am.

That said, I'm perfectly confident driving around the city its self, and I don't find it particularly stressful. If I did then the bus companies would be considerably richer and the Ka would be considerably happier, I expect. I've also done a painful amount of motorway driving since starting uni (I've just totted it up and it's about 3,000 miles in just under 3 months, rather worryingly...) so I have somewhat more experience than I probably should have on that front. But that doesn't really mean anything other than I've burned more petrol recently than Houston in rush hour.

Also, completely inexperienced when it comes to car control. I'm told my car has fantastic levels of grip, but I haven't a clue how close to the limit I've got. Probably not that close, but I don't fancy pushing it in case I'm wrong and end up ploughing into a hedge. I did take it for a romp round the dales a few weeks ago and felt I got pretty close, but who knows. I haven't had the pleasure of driving in either snow or ice as of yet - I took my test in May, and despite having been insured on my mum's car for practice throughout the winter months, she wasn't going to let me anywhere near a remotely slippery road in her car. And now I'm up north and the gritters are out and about. This month should be interesting...

 

[Famine]

I haven't had the pleasure of driving in either snow or ice as of yet - I took my test in May, and despite having been insured on my mum's car for practice throughout the winter months, she wasn't going to let me anywhere near a remotely slippery road in her car. And now I'm up north and the gritters are out and about. This month should be interesting...

Driving in snow is easy. There's three basic rules:

1. Don't. This is the one most people get wrong.
2. Smoooooth inputs. Braking, accelerating, steering, clutch - anything you control should be done smoothly rather than jerkily. Everything you do needs to gradually load up rather than having all the forces changing directions rapidly. If you put weights on a piece of string gradually, it'll eventually snap, but if you suddenly put a load of weights on it, it'll snap instantly and with less weight on it...
3. Be in the highest gear you can get away with. You don't want the car kangarooing as the engine struggles to suck in enough gas and air because that generates jerkiness, but the higher the gear, the lower the wheel torque and the lower the forces you're trying to smoothly apply for the same speed.

Do that and you shouldn't lose control - though you can hit unexpected bits of ice which might cause a loss of control on one wheel, it should be very brief. If you do actually lose control of the car (which in all probability will be in the form of understeer), just remember to smoothly get rid of some forces - gently backing out of the accelerator or winding a bit of steering angle off will do the job - rather than stamping on the brakes which generates a sudden, excess force (and massive understeer).

Might not help you be like Pentti Airikkala, but it will help you drive the same car in March that you did in November. And always remember rule 1.

 

[Thatman]

I forget if you can turn this into a poll but apparently most people here agree on either themselves or the law makes them good or bad drivers. I think it would be interesting to see the results none the less...

 

[Famine]

Poll added.

 

[Thatman]

nice:tup:

 

[Rykon Zero]

Eh. Haven't driven yet, but I swear that I'll be above average. If you don't believe me, I've got roughly 4 years until I can make a truly accurate decision, but I always do these polls with the future in mind.

 

[Sureboss]

Schumacher drove a FIAT van into a gatepost...

He set the trend for Tiger Woods then?

 

[homeforsummer]

He set the trend for Tiger Woods then?

Next week: Mark Webber drives into a bus-queue of nuns.

 

[Murcie_LP640]

So-so. Haven't really been driving long enough on a license to tell. For the most part I do drive safely; I check my mirrors and blind spot whenever necessary, and only have quick bursts of the throttle when there's a nice long straight and no one about for a couple of kays. As for track racing, no idea as I've never raced on a track in my life, except in Gran Turismo of course.

 

[Joey D]

Driving in snow is easy. There's three basic rules:

1. Don't. This is the one most people get wrong.
2. Smoooooth inputs. Braking, accelerating, steering, clutch - anything you control should be done smoothly rather than jerkily. Everything you do needs to gradually load up rather than having all the forces changing directions rapidly. If you put weights on a piece of string gradually, it'll eventually snap, but if you suddenly put a load of weights on it, it'll snap instantly and with less weight on it...
3. Be in the highest gear you can get away with. You don't want the car kangarooing as the engine struggles to suck in enough gas and air because that generates jerkiness, but the higher the gear, the lower the wheel torque and the lower the forces you're trying to smoothly apply for the same speed.

In the UK not driving in the snow might be an option since I don't think you guys really get a lot of it, but for a lot of places you have no other choice. Either I go out in what amount of snow we got or I lose my job. Obviously I won't go drive for pleasure if we got 12" though, that taking an unnecessary risk. I do under what you are saying though.

I find driving in the snow to vary from easy to hard depending on the vehicle. The Blazer was horrid in the snow, as is the S-10 currently too. Low rear weight, RWD and a short wheel base do not make the world's best snow trekkers. My car was also fairly bad in the snow until I put snow tires on it, now it drives fine. However if I drive, say my grandma's Saturn VUE it goes through the snow just fine with it's AWD and "all-terrain" tires.

Growing up in Michigan there was always pretty poor road conditions so I guess you just get used to it. Like right now there is a good inch of slushy ice on the roads and I'm going to head to the mall, and truth be told I'll probably do 70 on the freeway and be completely fine.

Eh. Haven't driven yet, but I swear that I'll be above average. If you don't believe me, I've got roughly 4 years until I can make a truly accurate decision, but I always do these polls with the future in mind.

You'll be below average for sure. You might get to the point of above average after a couple of years but no one starts off as a good driver. And I've already said this, statistically you'll crash your vehicle fairly soon after receiving your license.


===

As for the poll? While I'd love to be Tiger Woods my golf skills suck and I'm not banging a hot Swedish model and 20 other women on the side, I think I'd somewhere in the average to slightly above average range. I do make mistakes on the road but I feel like I focus on the drive more than other people and that I'm slightly more prepared for some of the situations that come my way.

===

And I'd also like to point out that being able to drive in Gran Turismo or any other game for that matter does not make you a good driver. I hate when I venture into the GT section and see people talking about how they have improved their driving from GT. That scares the hell out of me. I don't want to share the roads with people who have learned anything from a video game that doesn't even remotely portray real life.

 

[Famine]

In the UK not driving in the snow might be an option since I don't think you guys really get a lot of it, but for a lot of places you have no other choice. Either I go out in what amount of snow we got or I lose my job. Obviously I won't go drive for pleasure if we got 12" though, that taking an unnecessary risk. I do under what you are saying though.

Almost all of the crashes in snow in the UK could be avoided if people sat down and thought "Do I really need to go out today?". Most workplaces can get by with a couple days downtime because no-one's there - most schools shut when it snows because the teachers can't be bothered to go (and there's a legal limit on how many kids there can be per teacher) and, since kids don't walk to school any more, the parents can't be bothered to bring the kids. And I laud that - will the UK collapse because there's no school for 2 days? No. Better that than having 4 million people who don't know rules 2 and 3 out there because they ignored rule 1...

There are people for whom rule 1 isn't an option, and they need to know rules 2 & 3. It's a condition we get every year, at least once, but there are people who have full licences but who have never driven or been taught how to drive in snow...

Personally I like driving in snow because I enjoy it and I won't let it get in my way. If I have to dig down just to open the doors of my car though, forget it.

 

[Azuremen]

I put myself at "above average," due to my experience (I drive a bit over 20k miles a year) in almost every condition imaginable (growing up in a rural area that gets snow, commuting into a city) over the past 9 years I've been driving.

Also going a bit of the complements I tend to get, both from people that appreciate quick driving and those that like smooth, comfortable driving. And I anticipate other drivers constantly, always moving my foot over to the brake pedal when people are approaching stop signs and aren't slowing down at a reasonable pace, and so on.

Plus, I'm a delivery driver. In a college town. Known for its drinking. So I get to play dodge the drunk pedestrians and drivers when I work night shifts.

I'll add this too. When I was in my teens, I did think I was an amazing driver. Now that I'm a tad bit older, I can say I was a tad be daft. I had decent car control, but lacked patience and the ability to anticipate the level of idiocy most other drivers demonstrate.

Oh, and I can't stand being a passenger most of the time. Too many people just don't pay enough attention when they drive.

 

[Rykon Zero]

You'll be below average for sure. You might get to the point of above average after a couple of years but no one starts off as a good driver. And I've already said this, statistically you'll crash your vehicle fairly soon after receiving your license.

I am using my brother as a measuring stick, and he's well above average. He's had two driving issues, once when he spun out in the rain, and when the truck was overloaded and the person in front of him slammed on his brakes.

Anyway, I'll choose above average for my given age group. I'm masterful for a 14 year old.

By the way, I'm not doubting you, I know I'll crash. And knowing me, It'll be a severe one.

 

[Famine]

I am using my brother as a measuring stick, and he's well above average.

No he isn't. Let me demonstrate:

He's had two driving issues, once when he spun out in the rain, and when the truck was overloaded and the person in front of him slammed on his brakes.

So that's too fast for the conditions, defective vehicle and following too close to the car in front. That's not the mark of an above average driver - that's the mark of a neglectful one. All three are driver error.

AND these are only the incidents you know about.

 

[mafia_boy]

I'll chuck in my 5c now.

I've been driving for 14yrs now, and was taught by two groups....firstly my mum who was a former courier for 10yrs and driving for 50yrs now who taught me everything that encompassed safe driving, and a bunch of people most people don't like (HOONS! ) and was taught everything that is considered illegal, from burnouts to handbrake turns and street racing. Both sides have helped me immensely.

How you ask?

Well, my mum always taught me to be a defensive driver which in the long term is the better way to drive. However, the hoons taught me how to approach apex's of corners properly at higher rates of speed, to keep car control even when the car was out of control and to be comfortable in ANY car that I may be driving, whether it was a 50Kw Gemini or a 220Kw 13B Peripheral Port Mazda 808. The combination of the two allowed me to have better judgement when it came to traffic flows and noticing the right gaps in traffic, to be aware of the size of the car I was driving, to not freak out if one of your mates decides to be a :censored:head by pulling up the handbrake on you when you're doing 80km/h (50mph) and to be able to control the car if the road conditions weren't up to the task.

Even today, I still rely on elements from both sides of the coin because some situations call for riskier driving to avoid certain situations (like idiots slamming brakes infront of you and having the awareness to react in time, even if I have to swerve sharply to avoid them). This allows me to drive my 250Kw Cressida the way it CAN be driven, aswell as putter around in it for trips to the shops with the family and such.

I'm not saying I'm perfect because I have had accidents in some cars, but I've NEVER EVER done the same mistake twice because I learnt my lesson well.....besides, it costs too much to repair other people's cars or to pay excess.

 

[Joey D]

Almost all of the crashes in snow in the UK could be avoided if people sat down and thought "Do I really need to go out today?". Most workplaces can get by with a couple days downtime because no-one's there - most schools shut when it snows because the teachers can't be bothered to go (and there's a legal limit on how many kids there can be per teacher) and, since kids don't walk to school any more, the parents can't be bothered to bring the kids. And I laud that - will the UK collapse because there's no school for 2 days? No. Better that than having 4 million people who don't know rules 2 and 3 out there because they ignored rule 1...

Sadly that's not the way it works around here, most employers don't care if there is several feet on the ground...you got to find your way to work somehow. Things really don't shut down around here unless we get 20"+ and even then not everything is closed. Last winter we had a storm that dumped 14" of snow on us and everything was still open.

I am using my brother as a measuring stick, and he's well above average. He's had two driving issues, once when he spun out in the rain, and when the truck was overloaded and the person in front of him slammed on his brakes.

Anyway, I'll choose above average for my given age group. I'm masterful for a 14 year old.

By the way, I'm not doubting you, I know I'll crash. And knowing me, It'll be a severe one.

Your brother sounds like a below average driver and based on that situation a rather unsafe one too. Famine already explained why so I do not need to address that again.

But whatever the case you != your brother.

 

[TheBook]

Sadly that's not the way it works around here, most employers don't care if there is several feet on the ground...you got to find your way to work somehow. Things really don't shut down around here unless we get 20"+ and even then not everything is closed. Last winter we had a storm that dumped 14" of snow on us and everything was still open.

That's only because people in Michigan are maniacs when it comes to driving.

Although I know what you mean; one day I remember well last winter, my school was closed and I was asked to come to work all day (instead of the three hours after school I usually work). We were busier that day than if the roads were dry.

 

[opendriver]

You'll be below average for sure. You might get to the point of above average after a couple of years but no one starts off as a good driver. And I've already said this, statistically you'll crash your vehicle fairly soon after receiving your license.

Ive had my license for 3 years now, and besides a speeding ticket (50 in a 35, deserted road at the time) ive haven't really had any problems.

 

[Rykon Zero]

So that's too fast for the conditions, defective vehicle and following too close to the car in front. That's not the mark of an above average driver - that's the mark of a neglectful one. All three are driver error.

AND these are only the incidents you know about.

The first one... Yeah, I'll give you that, that was a freaky experience. The second, no. My grandmother had piled roughly a little over a quarter of a ton of food in the back for a road trip in a base model Ford Ranger. The car in question, a Chevy minivan, was driving along at roughly 40 mph. My brother and grandmother were driving behind them roughly three car paces away, when the van slammed on it's brakes, and I mean with ABS activated. The Ford had the disadvantage of having way too much weight in the back, and having no ABS. The brakes locked up, and he skidded into the van. (Inexperience.) The damage was very little, a bent bumper. So thus, I maintain that the accident was not my brother's fault, and that it could have gone much worse.

And as for the incidents I know of? Of all the times my brother has driven, there are seven times I was not there. Five of them when he was first driving, one where he picked up his friend, and the one above.

Those two incidents were a year ago, though.

(Yes, I am going to defend him to the grave, he's a better driver than my mom or uncles.)