Hands on the Wheel, Eyes on the Road

Teen driver safety is the most important issue facing teens as we gain the independence and freedom we have been waiting for. So many of us don’t think about other people. Our ability to be completely selfish is an art form that many teens have mastered. But it is not just us that our driving will impact, it is our passengers, community, family members and animals who are all innocently on the road with us. Our one stupid decision can affect and change entire families. We may not want to listen to our parents, because let’s face it, we all think we know more than they do. Driver’s Education gives us the chance to learn without judgment, without criticism, and with the guidance we need to make sure we teen drivers will eventually become old drivers. We may not want to listen to our parents, but we will listen to teachers, and a Driver’s Education instructor is just that.

Growing up, I paid little attention to “how” you drive, and just assumed I would get wherever I was going safely. I diligently put my seatbelt on, as my mom taught me to, and didn’t give it another thought. That all changed when we witnessed what could have been a deadly chain reaction. It was raining, and we were driving home at night from my mom’s cousin’s wedding in D.C. We were on the Belt Parkway in Brooklyn, which is almost as frightening as the Daytona 500. There was a little sportscar weaving in and out of traffic and I remember my stepdad telling my mom to watch out as he is going to cause an accident. Not a minute later, he did. He crashed, full speed, into the car in front of him, which was stopped, because that is how traffic works on the Belt–moving fine one minute and dead stop the next. His car hit into yet another car and all of them just wound up across most of the lanes. I’ll never forget how my mom handled it–she somehow managed to avoid the cars, pieces of the cars that came off, and all the other cars on the road, while driving about 50 miles an hour. I always made fun of my mom for being a cautious driver, and I never made fun of her after that. She had both hands on the wheel and was ready. For what, she did not know. But she got us through that area the way you see in a movie, and there wasn’t a scratch left on our minivan. We were all stunned after we got through, and my mom’s hands were shaking, but she continued. She was really quiet when she said to my sister and me, “This is why you pay attention. No phones, no pushing buttons for music, nothing but driving. Hands on the wheel, eyes on the road.” We don’t know what happened to those people, but all said a silent prayer that night thankful that we made it through, and hoping for the best for those involved. That moment has stayed with me. I was old enough to understand the possible outcomes and what could have happened if my mom was changing the radio station or looking at her phone.

We face challenges every day. Some big, some small. The two biggest challenges for teens with driving are distractions and lack of experience. We are so used to looking at our screens all day long. It is an addiction for most of us. That “one second” I think I need to read a text message is more like 5 seconds of my eyes not being on the road. It’s really hard to disconnect from what we all think is “so important.” My parents have pounded into my head that driving is a huge responsibility and my actions, or lack thereof, have consequences. The distractions are there and they are real, but I have to be mature enough to know that the text message can wait, and I can pull over if I really need to make a phone call. Our lack of experience is probably the most important challenge, especially since we think we know everything. This only changes with time. The more I drive, the more experience I get. The more experience I get, the more aware and reactive I will be. As each day passes, I learn more and more about the road and how people handle it. I see the good decisions, bad decisions and decisions that make me scratch my head. My experience is already growing, and will continue to grow each and every day.

I think schools need to do more to get students to realize their actions have consequences. We need to be shown real stories, real accidents, and real outcomes, as graphic as they may be. That is what will get through to teens. I don’t want to be lectured at. I want to learn. I want to see. I want to experience. We think we are invincible and need to understand that we are not. None of us wants to hurt anyone, we just lack the awareness that our parents have. Honestly, I think there needs to be more education for adults as well. So many of them drive distracted, and they teach their children the same habits. I see it every day on the roads. Some of my friends won’t listen, but most of us will. I want to hear directly from people affected by bad driving. As hard as it is to listen to, it is so much worse living it. Schools can bring in victims of car accidents who can talk directly to us and hopefully, make an impact. They can show us videos of car accidents, and photos of those who lost their lives or had their lives affected in some way. We teens carry the brunt of the action. Showing off for our friends and being reckless will only hurt us. Education is key. The more, the better. Schools should also find a way for Driver’s Education classes to be free for everyone. So many of my friends are not taking it because they cannot afford the fee or their parents will not pay it. Maybe it can be a course offering in our schedules. There has to be a way for every teen to take it, regardless of their family’s financial situation.

I want to live to an old age–get married, have kids, the whole American Dream. I need to make good choices now so that can happen. What I cannot do is control anyone else, and that is where education is so important. I look forward to teaching my own kids how to drive one day. Hands on the wheel, eyes on the road.