If I Started Driving in 2026, I Would Do This

I started driving seven years ago. Back then, I did not know much about cars or driving, but I knew I wanted to learn properly and become a safe, responsible, good driver. If I were starting again in 2026, these are the things I would want to understand from the beginning.

Build the Right Mindset First

The first thing I would focus on is mindset. If you are young and new to driving, you are naturally more likely to take risks than someone with years of experience. That matters because many new and young drivers start building their driving mindset from the very beginning, before they have enough experience to judge what is actually safe.

I still remember what my dad used to tell me: cars are weapons. That sounds intense, but it is true in a practical sense. A car is a heavy machine moving on public roads around other people. That means you are responsible not only for your own safety, but also for the safety of everyone around you.

Higher risk tolerance does not make someone a better driver instantly. Confidence is not the same thing as skill. At the same time, there is another extreme: some new drivers are so afraid to drive that fear gets in the way of learning. The goal is to land somewhere in the middle.

You do not want to be too afraid, because you control the car. The car only does what you tell it to do. You can take reasonable steps to reduce the risk of driving and stay safe. But you also do not want to be overconfident and do something stupid on the road just because you think you can handle it. Without enough experience and seat time, that kind of confidence is not reliable.

This is not meant to scare anyone away from driving. I enjoy driving, and I was in that beginner position once. The point is that confidence should grow with time and experience. As you get more seat time, you become more comfortable, then more confident, and eventually driving becomes more enjoyable.

Understand the Real Cost of Owning a Car

The next thing I wish I understood earlier is the cost of owning a car. Before you get deep into driving or decide to buy a vehicle, you need to understand the running costs.

New cars are extremely expensive right now. The average price of a new car is more than $40,000 in the United States, and that is only the purchase price. It does not include the ongoing cost of ownership.

Maintenance

The first recurring cost is maintenance. You have to maintain the car. That means oil changes, tire replacement, and sometimes smaller items like wipers. You need to plan a monthly budget for servicing the car, and that budget depends heavily on what you drive.

If you choose a luxury car, you are going to pay more. If you choose an economy car, you are going to pay less.

Fuel or Electricity

The next monthly cost is fuel or electricity, depending on whether you drive an internal-combustion car or an EV. Pretty much everywhere in North America, fuel prices and electricity prices have been moving upward, not downward. You have to account for that too.

Insurance

Another major cost, and one many people underestimate, is insurance. If you buy a more expensive car, you will usually pay more to insure it. Your premium depends on several factors, including your driving experience, accident history, and the car itself.

As a new driver, insurance can become a big part of the monthly cost. It is not enough to ask whether you can afford the car payment. You need to ask whether you can afford the car payment, insurance, maintenance, and energy costs together.

Depreciation

One of the most hidden and forgotten costs is depreciation. All cars depreciate differently. Each car has its own depreciation curve, so it is your responsibility to research how much value the car is likely to lose during the time you own it.

Depreciation may not feel like a monthly bill, but it is still part of the cost of ownership.

Your Car Budget Has to Fit Your Life

You want to be in a good financial position before buying the car you will drive as your first vehicle. I have been driving for seven years, but I only bought my own car with my own money a year ago. Before that, I drove family cars, including my dad’s cars, or used car-sharing services.

The reason was simple: I could not justify spending that much money on the car itself and on the monthly costs that come with it.

For young people living in North America, and really for people living anywhere, the cost of living is not getting cheaper every day. There are many other financial goals competing for the same money. Many people want to save for a house. You may be paying some kind of rent. You may want to travel. If you have hobbies, you probably want to spend money on those too.

Do not feel like you are missing out just because you do not buy a car immediately. A lot of people are in the same situation, and waiting until the finances make sense can be the smarter decision.

Develop Your Driving Skills Deliberately

The third thing I wish I knew when I was starting out is how to develop driving skills properly.

Start With a Driving School

The first step is to go to a dedicated driving school. A proper driving school teaches the rules you have to follow on the road in your local area.

Keep Learning From Experienced Drivers

After you go to driving school and get your license, I recommend driving more with experienced family members or friends. Ask them for general advice about your driving. You can take them somewhere, then ask them to critique your driving after the trip.

That feedback gives you specific things to focus on later when you are practicing on your own. It is hard to improve if all you know is that you felt nervous or the drive felt messy. It is much more useful when someone can point out a habit, a timing issue, or a mistake you can work on directly.

Use Tutorials and Good Driving Educators

I would also use driving tutorials from people who explain the skill clearly. There are many good driving educators and enthusiasts, including M Drives Cars, Conquer Driving, Tedward, and others, that give useful advice on becoming a better, safer, and more responsible driver.

The best ones do more than teach technique. They also explain why driving can be enjoyable. That matters because when you enjoy learning the skill, you are more likely to keep practicing and improving.

Start With a Slower, Less Expensive Car

Another way to become a better driver faster is to start with a slower and less expensive vehicle.

If your car is not very powerful, it is easier to find the limits of that car and understand what driving is about.

A less expensive car also makes the learning process easier financially and emotionally. You will worry less about scratches, dents, and small mistakes. When people are just starting to drive, it is not surprising when they scratch a car somewhere or put a dent in it while parking. It happens.

It is much better to have that happen in a cheaper car you do not care about as much than in a new car that costs $35,000 or $40,000. A first car should help you learn, not make every parking attempt feel like a financial emergency.

Practice in Every Condition You Can

You also need to practice in different conditions. You should know how to drive in the morning, in the afternoon, and at night. You should practice in snow, rain, and heavy traffic. You need to be prepared for all of these situations.

Preparation comes from knowledge, but it also comes from practice and seat time. If you have a chance to drive in the rain, for example, go out and learn in the rain instead of avoiding it forever.

The worst situation is when someone avoids a condition completely, then eventually has no choice but to drive in it. If the first serious rainy drive happens only when you absolutely have to be somewhere, the risk is much higher. You may end up in a nasty situation simply because you never took the time to practice that condition properly.

Choose the Right First Car

The last major thing I wish I understood earlier is how to choose a first car.

Set the Budget First

The first thing to think about is your budget. Everyone has different financial ability, so the number will vary from person to person. But as mentioned earlier, I would not go for a very expensive car as a first car. You want to learn in something slower and less expensive.

If your budget is less than $20,000, you are probably going to be looking at a used option, because new cars generally start above $20,000 now. That is not a bad thing. A used car can make much more sense for a beginner, as long as you choose carefully.

Prioritize Reliability and Safety

When choosing a first car, I would prioritize reliability and safety. You do not want to deal with constant repairs or be stranded on the road with your first car. The main goal is to get as much seat time as possible without interruptions.

That is why I often tell people to look for a well-maintained Japanese car, especially a Mazda, Toyota, or Honda, if it fits the budget. For most people, that is the simpler and safer place to start.

Why My First Car Was Not Japanese

My own first car is a German car, a 2004 Volkswagen Jetta. That might sound inconsistent with recommending Toyota, Honda, or Mazda, but there is a reason for the difference.

If you are not a car nerd who is willing to spend hours and hours on forums researching a specific car, I recommend looking for a Toyota, Honda, or Mazda. Those options are simpler for most beginners because they have a strong reputation for reliability.

My Volkswagen is reliable, but finding a good deal like that required research and knowledge. You have to spend a lot of time to find a deal like that. Most new drivers do not need to make the process that complicated.

Treat the Used Market Like a Long Game

Even though new cars are expensive, that does not mean you have to buy new. You can look at the used market, but the used market is a long game.

At first, it can be hard to find the car you want. You may look through listings and feel like nothing fits. But if you search hard enough and stay patient, you can find the hidden gem you are looking for.

That is what happened with my car. I searched for two months. When the right car appeared in my area, I went to the dealership the same day and bought it. It is definitely possible, but it takes patience and readiness.

The Beginner Roadmap I Would Follow

If I were starting again, I would put the priorities in this order.

First, develop the right mindset. Understand that driving is enjoyable, but also serious. You are controlling a machine around other people, and that responsibility has to shape how you drive.

Second, understand the cost of owning a car. The purchase price is only the beginning. Maintenance, fuel or electricity, insurance, and depreciation all matter, and the car has to fit your wider financial life.

Third, focus on developing driving skills. Start with proper instruction, keep learning from experienced drivers, use good educational resources, and get as much useful seat time as possible.

Lastly, choose the right first car. For most new drivers, that means something reliable, safe, slower, less expensive, and easy to live with.

Enjoy Driving While You Can

One last thing: enjoy driving while you can. With the rapid development of technology, self-driving cars may replace a lot of everyday driving in the next 10 or 20 years. That is only my opinion, but it is a real possibility.

Take the opportunity to enjoy driving and have fun with it, while still treating it responsibly. Roads need better drivers: people who are safer, more responsible, and more aware of what they are doing.

If you are new to driving, start with the right mindset, build your skills patiently, and make financial decisions that let driving stay enjoyable instead of stressful. Stay safe out there and keep enjoying the drive.