As Told by the Steering Wheel

Oh look! There is someone coming to check me out! I wonder if it will be a family with kids, or maybe even someone famous! They are opening the door…they are getting closer! They are sitting down in the front seat! This could be interesting! Oh wow! It is a family of a fifteen year old looking at buying a car for their soon-to-be driver! This is going to be an exciting experience! Well…their grip is pretty tight on me, and they are holding me at 10 and 2, so that is a good thing. Hopefully, they will continue to hold me this way every time they get in. Looks like I have been selected as the “winner” so let’s get the driving started!

A couple of months have gone by and I have heard a lot of talk from the family about all the safety precautions and driving rules their child needs to know. In fact, they have been spending an awful lot of time just driving me around. I have heard them talk about logging hours so this must mean they are taking a driver’s education course. Thank goodness for this because I heard in the car lot chat group that drivers who do not take this course are seventy-five percent more likely to get a traffic ticket and twenty-four percent more likely to be involved in a fatal accident. Apparently, it can be dangerous out there when drivers do not really know the rules of the road. I am thankful that my family sees the importance of reducing the chances of crashing me into something or someone, or even worse, sending me to the awful salvage yard. I heard you do not ever want to go there! I sure would miss my driver and their family if that happened. I have gotten to be close to them during our drives and have even learned to like country music.

This driver’s education class and driving hours with an adult really are pretty intense. They can be confusing to a new driver, so therefore I am so glad mine attended. There are so many rules, signs, limits, etc… For example, today I heard them talking about when it is safe to make a turn. Come to find out it is not as simple as red, yellow, green, or right and left. There are blinking lights, blinking arrows, regular arrows, and regular lights, turn after stopping, do not turn, yield to turn and so many more! Glad my driver listened in class and read the driver’s education book. That sure is a lot to remember and practice. I overheard the other cars talking about driver’s education in the lot one day. They said that drivers who complete a driver’s education course are less likely to be involved in accidents, especially those new drivers around the ages of 16-19. They also said it really helps drivers understand the traffic laws and teaches them defensive driving, which in turn leads to safer driving habits that can last a lifetime! Not to mention it will also help with the cost of the insurance, which I heard is a LOT for a new driver!

My driver is getting pretty good, and I feel that their grip on me is starting to loosen up a little bit each time they get in the car. I think they are feeling more comfortable with me each day, which makes me happy! But yesterday, I had a big scare! It is something they called “distracted driving,” and it nearly sent me to the salvage yard for sure! My driver has done a really great job of putting his cell phone in the console while we are spending time together. But yesterday, they grabbed it to text their mom to tell them they were on the way home from driving with dad. Unfortunately, dad had fallen asleep from a long highway drive, so he was not able to tell them to stop. I felt their hands let go of me and reach over for the phone. That is when I knew we were in trouble! There was nothing I could do to stop them! Their eyes left the road! Their fingers were texting! And right in front of us a big tanker truck made a stop to cross the railroad tracks! This moment played like a slow-motion video reel, and I could see the tanker getting closer and closer. Just as they pressed the send button, they looked up and the tanker was so close I could reach out and touch it! They slammed on the breaks, had to swerve to the right, dad woke up yelling, the drink spilled all over me, and my driver’s heart stopped for just a split second. Thankfully, they were able to get to the side and stop before we came crashing into the back of that tanker. Not sure if I would have made it to the salvage yard or if I would have gone up into flames…but thankfully my driver learned a BIG lesson that day! Come to find out that thirty-four percent of crashes happen within one minute of phone use or another distraction. Distractions can be anything from moving your hands from the wheel, taking your eyes off the road, or even letting your mind wander and think about other things. Thankfully, this time we were able to avoid a disaster! Nobody was hurt (including myself) and I am certain it gave them a big enough scare that they will not let go of me again while driving!

The big day is finally approaching, and I feel just as nervous as my driver! Today they take their driver’s test. I am actually feeling confident in my driver! They successfully completed driver’s education and have completed all the necessary practice hours with me, plus a lot more drive time running errands with mom. Mom and dad have taught them several necessary steps to be a safe driver. They have gone over the speed limits…a lot, the importance of being a defensive driver, reminded them to always wear a seatbelt and the same for others that might ride with them some day. I have even heard them talk about deer and other animals in the road and what to do if they encounter them! But the absolute most important thing they have talked about over and over is the importance of paying attention and focusing on driving while driving. Nothing else! Everything other than driving can wait!

As we pull back into the parking lot after the driver’s test, I can say I am a proud owner of a new driver…a SAFE driver! Yes! They passed with flying colors thanks to their driver’s education course! Here is to many more hours in the car listening to stories about high school drama, learning the lyrics to music I never have even heard of, and getting to smell those stinky football cleats they keep leaving in the backseat after practice. Maybe they should add “taking your car to the carwash and the importance of vacuuming out your car and adding car fresheners” to the driver’s education manual. I am ready for some TLC!