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It could very well be a panic attack, and the interesting thing about panic attacks is that they are very real even when the things inciting them may be no actual cause for alarm. Learning to drive can be a scary thing (I used to pray every time I got behind the wheel for the first several months I was learning to drive!!), and having something like this happen leaves you with a very real, and unfortunate, example of what can possibly happen to people in cars.
It's important to remember that most people will not die by being in a car accident(!), that not all accidents are fatal, and that many people walk away from even terrible accidents virtually unharmed. A friend of mine's car was turned around on a freeway during rush hour by a semi and was crushed in on both ends and completely destroyed and he walked away from the crash with only a sore neck! I'm not saying that's what always happens, but it's a very real and not totally uncommon outcome.
Most accidents can be avoided by being a safe and aware driver, by only being a passenger in vehicles driven by other safe drivers (ie. the driver hasn't been drinking, is paying attention to the road, etc.), and by knowing when it's unwise to be out in a car like on New Year's Eve or St. Patrick's Day when lots of people have been drinking. If you think the person driving is being unsafe, especially if they're a young/new driver, tell them so. They may be so distracted they may not even realize their driving is putting them and their passengers in danger.
And please: don't let your fears and concerns weigh you down so heavily that you cannot learn to be a safe driver. You will have to drive- there's no question about that. At the very least you owe it to yourself to learn to do it well to give yourself the best chance of avoiding the kinds of accidents that have you worried.
Whether you have to start each time behind the wheel with prayer, deep breathing, talking yourself through each step out loud, leaving the radio off, rolling a window down to get fresh air, or something more involved like talking to a guidance counselor at school, do whatever it takes to be the kind of driver you need to be to be safe on the road. And know that it won't be long before driving is second nature and those fears turn into just comforting advice in the back of your head.
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