The Different Games
Having sunk a few hundred hours into various different driving games, I feel it all depends on the type of game you're playing. I have lots of experience with a wide spectrum of racing and driving games ranging from the arcade ones (Need For Speed, Forza Horizon, Burnout and Trackmania) to the "sim-cades" (F1 Franchise, Dirt, Forza Motorsport) all the way up to the infuriating yet rewarding "hardcore simulators" (Assetto Corsa, BeamNG Drive, rFactor). My thoughts about these games and simulators are as follows:
1. Need For Speed Most Wanted:2012 - this game is an absolute blast to play, rocket around Fairhaven, a fantasy city in your favorite hyper cars as you fight to topple the 10 most wanted drivers and cement yourself as the number 1 most wanted. It's an easy game to pick up and play, 0 skill is required and one can essentially master the game's mechanics in around 2 hours of playtime. My driving style in the game however, wouldn't translate very well into real life, as even If I did manage to procure a Lambo out of thin air, I would probably bin it into the back of some unsuspecting bike as I try to swerve through traffic like a mad man.
2. Forza Horizon - Another easy game to play, it features a similar addicting formula to Need For Speed, but instead of having hilariously easy drifting physics, Forza Horizon tries to ground itself to reality a bit harder. The cars are not as easy to drive and it takes a while to master the game. Definitely isn't as fun though; and I still can't see it influencing my driving style.
3. I'm sure burnout and Trackmania speak for themselves, they're just fun games. Nothing to learn; nothing to be influenced from.
4. F1 Franchise - Here come the sim-cades! Sim-cades essentially are games that feature a blend of realistic and arcade driving physics. The F1 franchise, in it's earlier years wasn't the greatest driving experience, but after the generational switch to 8th gen consoles (PS4 and XBOX ONE), the driving improved significantly. You need to learn how to drive fast without locking the brakes or spinning on the exit of corners, but still, the learning curve is not the steepest. The game really can't be mastered. The bar has been raised so high by the e-sports drivers that you need real talent to master the game. The game could influence your driving for the better, sharper reflexes and a better understanding of the dynamics of car could make you a safer driver in the real world.
5. The F1 Franchise is very similar to the Dirt franchise (Rally) in terms of realism. They're created by the same developers in the same game engine but, Rally, being the more treacherous sport, might imbibe more driving abilities onto you.
6. The Forza Motorsport franchise is the original Forza (Though it wouldn't seem like it nowadays), it was created to compete with the likes of Gran Turismo. So when Forza took the fight to the "real driving simulator" (Gran Turismo), they came out all guns blazing. Unfortunately, much like the Horizon spin-off, the Motorsport franchise has sadly fallen off. The Motorsport games are more arcade than simulator however, and are more forgiving when driving hard. Still, there's something to learn.
7. Assetto Corsa - Welcome to the world of simulators, here Assetto Corsa is arguably one of the most famous sims, it features incredible "moddability" (Ability to add modifications such as new cars, new tracks and even new weather conditions and graphics options). The driving physics are not forgiving here, you make a mistake? off into the barrier you go! You can't treat it like a game, you have to to treat it like the real thing because it will feel and drive just like it. Overall this game will let you learn how to control your car in emergency situations and make you a more confident, and more competent (In terms of raw driving prowess) driver.
8. BeamNG Drive - Those who haven't played BeamNG Drive before don't believe a driving game can strike such fear in the hearts of it's players. BeamNG drive is a soft-body sandbox game, which in layman's terms means, car go into pole, car go smashy smash. This game, doesn't really have any incentive to play, but the thrill of barreling through 1-car-wide dirt roads through the middle of a forest with a rally car going speeds that could get me banned on TeamBHP is unmatched. The game feels incredibly realistic due to it's chassis flex and aerodynamics simulation and like Assetto Corsa, can improve your driving skills but to a higher degree than Assetto Corsa.
9. City Car Driving Simulator - This game is great if you want to be a better driver in traffic, it features realistic driving in terms of the operations of the car, and the rules of the road. Overall, a great game to learn how to become a good, law-abiding and safe driver.
10. Euro Truck Simulator - More of a fun game than a driving simulator, a lot more forgiving than City Car Driving in terms of driving laws, but it can be sometimes become a test of patience (Long highway drives)
My Point Of View
For starters, I don't have a driving license and I have never driven a car so take my words with a grain of salt. Unlike other hardcore sim-racers, I don't race with a steering wheel so I can't feel what the car is doing through force feedback; Instead I have learned to use my instincts, sounds and the movement of the car to gauge when I am oversteering and how to correct it. The simulators have taught me racing conduct, and how to drive a manual car in city traffic. All in all, these games have taught me an awful lot about driving cars in a controlled manner at high speeds, and at safe speeds.