A Teenagers Perspective

Driving. The privilege and ability of operating a device which can transport you from one location to another in a matter of minutes, hours or even days. This privilege also comes with great responsibility as well given the device is known as a machine weighing an average of well over four thousand pounds. Does one truly understand what it means to have the ability to control such a machine once on their own at the age of 16? Does one truly appreciate all the knowledge they learned in the multiple steps leading up to getting a driver’s license? My response to both of these questions would be no. Allow me to explain from the perspective of a driver with less than 2 years experience.

While driver education is important and does teach the necessary skills and information to operate a motor vehicle on the road, I wouldn’t agree that it means a 15 or 16 year old is ready to fully comprehend the power in their hands. When I received my license, all I truly saw and felt was freedom. I finally had the ability to come and go as needed, with parent approval of course. I’ve seen others involved in accidents but I never thought I’d see one for myself as I thought “It won’t happen to me”. Until it did.

My accident wasn’t a major one, but the damage was surprising to me. I was backing out of a parking space and thought I had done everything correct until I felt an impact. I was shocked. How? I looked and realized it was an acquaintance from the venue we were leaving so we knew one another. What surprised me was when she said “I thought you were going to stop”. So she had seen me backing up, yet continued to go forward. I was shocked. While I suspected her speed was a factor, I had no proof as the path was clear when I was reversing. To think a person chose not to stop to avoid an accident was bewildering to me. As one has the responsibility to yield and avoid an accident at all costs yet she denied any responsibility. Months later, I received notification of the impact this had on my family’s insurance policy.

I learned that while speeds may be minimal, the impact and damage can still be significant. The body of the car is merely a shell. The shell is like an illusion, as it appears to be a strong body to protect the weight it carries. I realized quickly how delicate yet powerful the machine was and also how vulnerable a person is inside of it. While the car itself is one aspect of understanding the importance of driving, another is the actual driver and their actions behind the wheel.

I don’t think throwing statistics at anyone, especially a teenager, is going to increase driver safety. While technology has helped decrease deaths, especially for young drivers; more is needed. While there may be laws in place around cell phones, teens ignore it. I don’t know if there is a magical answer on the steps needed for a person to be a better and safer driver. While it pains me to admit this, the steps towards improvement may need to come from changes in laws.

Perhaps our government and the automobile industry should consider increasing the driving age. The biggest issues for teens at the moment is a cell phone. They should not be allowed to operate at all when connected to a car. Cars should also have the ability to set a maximum speed allowed so that it doesn’t have the capacity to go faster than designated. While this sounds great, there is also the realization that not everyone can afford new cars. Unfortunately the combination of car prices and insurance almost make the ability to even own a “safe” car isn’t even attainable. There’s also the issue that there aren’t enough drivers education instructors for students in the school. A great addition for teenagers would be a driver education and safety class became a required course at the school, with those with insurance and cars having the ability to take part in the driving portion as I understand the liability aspect. Drivers education and safety could be combined with another course taught at the school with police officers coming in to speak of their experience and helpful information; allowing Q&A for the students. Guests should also include an insurance representative to speak of the consequences of accidents and traffic tickets on an example policy scenario. I can only hope that as I navigate my journey into college, I’ll carry with my all I’ve learned thus far.