Backseat Driver

Alaina Kelly

March 2021

Backseat Driver

When one breaks it down to its core, driving is simply a behavior that humans learn as they grow and develop. It is not too different from learning how to brush one’s teeth or how to properly use rollerblades, and it’s often learned through the process of observational learning. Observational learning is described as being “the process of learning through watching others, retaining the information, and then later replicating the behaviors that were observed” (Cherry, “How Observational…”). This method of behavioral development also applies to learning how to drive, where often children and teenagers learn the details of how to drive properly from observing authority figures.

From a young age, children learn from observation that green means go and red means stop by watching their parents drive or perhaps even observing how their bus driver behaves on the road, among many other influences. However, as a teenager nears the driving age, there are a lot of steps in the practice of driving that he or she needs to learn. Learning how to drive properly leads to safer driving, and driver’s education is incredibly crucial in educating teenagers on the importance of being safe when navigating the roads. Driver’s education is the important bridge between observational learning and driving. In a driver’s education course, a student can observe the driving practices of their instructor as well as the other students taking the course. In this process, students are able to recognize when mistakes are made and when steps are executed properly, which will then allow students to make the right decision when they begin driving themselves.

When one first sits behind the wheel, it can often be incredibly intimidating to shift the gear into drive. Driver’s education plays a significant role in teaching student drivers how to drive safely, and there are many steps that can be taken to effectively teach young drivers how to be a safe driver. Funding driver’s education programs so that they are available to all teenagers is important in providing effective and safe learning opportunities to all that need them. Furthermore, implementing driver’s education programs in all high schools throughout the nation would allow any and every teenager the opportunity to learn how to drive safely in a learning environment they are familiar with. Lastly, it is important that in a driver’s education program the instructor is aware that he or she must set an example. In order for observational learning to function at its best, the program’s instructor must be able to serve as a model for the program’s students. Even in circumstances where parents themselves teach their children how to drive, it’s important that the teenager’s authority figure sets a precedent for how to be a safe driver, as driving safety expert Dave Melton once said “Your kids are always observing the decisions you make behind the wheel, and in fact have likely been doing so since they were big enough to see over the dashboard” (Macario, “Busted…”). Thus, being able to have a model to observe throughout the learning process as well increased opportunities to take a driver’s education course is what will benefit young drivers the most in learning how to drive safely.

A time when I learned safe driving practices was when I was younger and my older sister would drive me to school every morning. As siblings do, we often argued. As a result, this would distract my sister as she drove, and one day, this common distraction became an even bigger issue when the car hydroplaned and drifted off of the road. The experience served as a learning opportunity for both myself and my sister, and we learned that limiting distractions allows for safer driving. As a passenger, one should be courteous to the driver and not be a source of distraction for the driver, and the driver should be able to ignore any distraction in place—whether the distraction is a phone, a passenger, or even a GPS—and focus only on driving and being safe when doing so. Although the entire experience was definitely not ideal, it allowed me to reflect on the steps I viewed most important when driving. It is important that the driver handles any distractions prior to driving before the car even begins moving, whether this means playing music beforehand or putting one’s phone on Do Not Disturb. Removing distractions is the most crucial step in becoming a safer and better driver, and this step should be taught to young drivers by examples set by authority figures.

Just as learning how to brush one’s teeth or how to dress oneself is important in the growth and development of an individual, learning safe driving measures is a significant and necessary practice to teach young teenagers as they begin driving. A lot of this practice is taught through observational learning, and it is important that parents and instructors set a precedent and an example for how driving should be done. Teenagers learn as a result of observing those around them, and if driving is to be done safely, those that the teenagers look up to the most must be aware of their influence. Additionally, increasing driver’s education opportunities for all student drivers must be implemented to allow safe driving practices to reach every corner of the nation. Overall, driver’s education is incredibly crucial in educating teenage drivers, and every effort should be put into improving the system that educates drivers.

Works Cited

• Cherry, Kendra “How Observational Learning Affects Behavior” verywellmind, 6 Sept. 2019, https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-observational-learning-2795402

• Macario, Dana “Busted by our teenagers: Parents’ bad driving behavior” Today, 18 Sept. 2012, https://www.today.com/parents/busted-our-teenagers-parents-bad-driving-behavior-1B5952446