I remember my early years of driving. I was still learning to judge speed and distance and I ended up having a very close call while trying to pass a car.
I had been driving along a road for a while -- a simple two-late highway -- when I came up behind a truck that was moving slowly. In retrospect, it wasn't moving THAT slowly, but slow enough for me to want to pass it. I checked and saw an approaching vehicle far in the distance. So with that, I accelerated.
But here's the reality of the situation: The truck I was passing was going a fairly good speed, my car wasn't the kind of car that accelerates quickly, and the approaching car was closer and going faster than I had judged. I edged up beside the truck, watching the incoming car approaching head-on. And I finally squeaked in just in front of the truck as the approaching car zoomed by. It was a close call that shook me up badly and I vowed to be more careful when driving after that.
The website TeenDriving.com gives some great guidance about passing. Check it out here: http://www.teendriving.com/pass.htm
