Hello Marsy.
It was just several years before but I already forgot how was my son’s first drive. Mmmmmm. I’m living Ibaraki and here, we need car in daily activities. Before my son got car license, I or my wife have to bring him to everywhere by car where he have to go, such as local club activities or shopping. And road around my house is not so small. After he got license, he drive a car with us and went to the shopping complex near our town. Distance is approx. 5Km, and he drove this road many times and begun driving well. So I have no fear in passenger sheet.
Several month after he got license, I need to took back my daughter from camp. I went there by my son’s driving. It was very narrow road and one curve can not turn once even me, and after curve, it was slope. Firstly, my son just stiff, but he cleared this curve.

Even in Japan, there are many kind of people and each district has own way of drive. I don’t like to drive at Osaka and Nagoya. But if your report is true, U.S. is terrable.