Driving Is a Privelege, Not a Right

“Driving is a privilege, not a right.”

At least, that’s what my parents always say. When I first started driving, I didn’t quite believe them, but now that a few years have passed, I feel like I understand it more every day. As I drive to school in the morning, I can’t help but notice all the dangerous mistakes that could be made, whether by accident or intentional, each one having the ability to change someone’s life forever. For better or for worse, driving is a necessary part of life – but sometimes, I wish it wasn’t. Sometimes, I wonder if the risk is really worth the reward.

As a newer driver, I can’t stress enough the importance of driver education. As a kid, I thought I knew everything about driving – the go pedal is on the right, the stop one is on the left, and you use the blinking lights to tell people which way you’re going. Much to the surprise of my ten-year-old self, there’s a lot more to it than that. During driver’s ed, I learned about the dangers of driving – distracted driving, in particular – that almost convinced me to drop out. But when I think back on it three years later, I’m grateful for that exposure. You can’t do better if you don’t know better – and if I hadn’t been exposed to those dangers and taught how to avoid them, it could’ve been me in those fatal examples shared on the Zoom screen. Thanks to the sound and thorough driver education I was put through at the very start, I now have safe habits instilled in me that I employ every time I start the engine. I’m grateful to my parents and teachers for that, even if it was initially overwhelming.

I also believe that the introduction of these habits early on in my driving education keeps me safe on the road from my own mistakes. Of course, I’m not perfect, but the safety tips I learned back then are second nature now. I feel that if every new driver – and any skilled driver who is willing to listen – is taught these habits, it could reduce the number of deaths related to driving. Drivers often forget many essential safety habits crucial to your protection while driving. Actions such as fastening seat belts, properly using blinkers, adjusting mirrors correctly, and putting phones on do not disturb, are all things that we should all be doing, yet most of us don’t. Just think of how often a small accident turned fatal because someone forgot to – or chose not to – wear a seat belt. Simple actions can be taken to reduce the number of deaths related to driving, starting with adequate driver education around safety risks.

Thankfully, I have yet to be in a car accident myself (knock on wood), but I have had friends and family involved in accidents before, and from my observation, it is nothing less than an ugly experience. Even if it’s something as small as getting lightly rear-ended, any motor vehicle accident can be life changing. Someone could lose a life, a car, exponential sums of money, their confidence on the road – all of that is put at risk and could all be lost because of one mistake, whether it be a rare lapse in judgment or a dangerous practice. With all that and more at stake, adequate driver education on safety habits becomes even more necessary.

When it comes to myself and how I can be a better and safer driver, I keep the goal in mind: to get from one place to another as safely as possible. To reference my parents again, they constantly remind me that there is nothing more important when it comes to driving. No matter if you’re late for an appointment, getting confusing directions from “knowledgeable” Siri, or receiving a call from your best friend, all of it comes second. I try to remember to silence my phone, get directions before I leave the driveway, and leave extra early for my appointments in order to put all my energy and focus into driving, because that’s all I should be thinking about when the rubber meets the road. As for how I can help others become safer on the road, I try to remind my siblings and friends of the same goal. I find that, sometimes, a simple reminder about what really matters can help someone regain clarity. That is what I aim to do.

At the end of the day, I agree with my parents. Driving is a privilege, not a right, and it’s up to us to choose how we employ that privilege. I will do my best to practice safe habits while on the road and recall why I drive with it at the forefront of my mind from my driver’s ed classes. There’s a lot at risk when I step into the driver’s seat, and I’ll do my best to make the risk worth the reward.