I don't want to alarm any newbies but I didn't drive for 3 years! It's not that I couldn't but my husband and I felt it was better if I diidn't. As others have stated each person is different. In hindsight I probably shouldn't have driven the first 3 to 6 months. Since I use ointment in my eye 24/7 we were concerned about my being able to drive safely. I can't see things on my left very well and of course can't hear on that side either, then of course my depth perception is off because of the ointment. I didn't want to cause an accident and certainly didn't want to be blamed for an accident because of my situation. I didn't work so I didn't HAVE to go anywhere. I rode my bike when I wanted to get out on my own and rode to the store to pick up groceries, etc. Three years after my surgery the place my husband worked at went on strike so I neeeded to get a job. I got one with in a week, figured I could take the bus. Turns out they forgot to mention that one of my jobs was to get the mail and go to to the bank 3 to 5 times a week. I needed the job so I got behind the wheel Very scary at first but also exciting. Then my husband realized how tired he was off hauling me and the boys everywhere so one day he suggested I take our youngest home from a soccer game while he went Golfing. I had a BLAST, I didn't go straight home! We stopped by a little restaurant and I let our son pick anything he wanted from the menu, then we headed to another place for dessert. THEN we went home! I drove more and more from there, tried not to drive at night because of the lights, etc. I took my first road trip about 4 years ago, my husband couldn't join me for a family reunion and I had to go as it was my Dad's 80th Birthday. I had the most wonderful time, in fact, even after driving for 4 hours I just wanted to keep on driving. I played whatever music I wanted to hear, stopped when I wanted to stop, ate where I wanted to eat. The drive back was the same, I felt so independent for the first time in many years.
As for getting in an accident, I've been in 4 since my surgery, NONE of them my fault. In fact, there was damage to my car on only one occasion the other 3 times I SAW what was going to happen in time to avoid damage. The first time a girls car died and she moved over to the side of the road except I was in the lane beside her I moved to the curb, 2nd time a guy turned in front of me thinking he was in the left lane not the center lane, I slammed on the brakes, 3rd time (last friday) a guy rear ended me but only hit my hitch because I saw him coming in the rearview mirror and pulled closer to the car in front of me but not so close I would hit them.
We are probably better drivers because we are more aware of our surroundings and more cautious! Drive-on!