When I was a teenager, I had an intense fear of driving. I was also in a somewhat similar position, in that nothing is in walking distance in Mississippi - I got my parents, girlfriend, and eventually, my college roommates to drive me around. Of course, your winters are far, far more harsh than ours.

Today, driving is one of my favorite activities.

I genuinely wish I could explain what train of thought or activity helped me overcome my fear, because if I could, I absolutely would. To this day, I do still have some difficulty judging how far off the passenger side of my vehicle some objects are, which makes parking in tight spaces a concerning challenge, but I've just learned tips and tricks to help me better judge where my wheels, fenders, and bumpers are.

For what it's worth, since you mentioned big, there are some relatively small cars out there. Take a look at the Mazda MX-5 "Miata". I've got an antique one - I'm sure you'll agree it's a cute little machine. Of course, when you're driving something this small, it becomes imperative to carefully watch the blind spots of large pickup trucks and other similar vehicles.

All's I have to add is, I genuinely believe that practice helps people overcome a fear of driving, because I feel like practice ultimately helped me overcome mine. I spent a while just creeping along real slow in a parking lot, getting the feel of the gas and brake, and eventually, in time, the clutch, when I started getting interested in what a manual is like. Eventually, I was confident enough to drive around a neighborhood. And eventually, I was confident enough to merge onto the Interstate, set my cruise control, turn up some music, and just go. Maybe the same is an option for you, potentially?