In The Drivers Seat

In The Driver’s Seat

By Christopher Lester

11/20/20

Driving is a privilege that too many teenagers take for granted. Every teenager goes through a period of time where they feel invincible. Unfortunately this feeling comes around the time when most teenagers receive their drivers licence. This feeling of invincibility costs many kids their lives.

Driving education is a crucial step in reducing the number of deaths from teenage drivers. Teenagers go through the proper training and education to be a responsible driver, a lot of times they start out as safe drivers but peer pressure can be a strong motivator in reckless driving.

Even though there are tests and rules for new drivers, they are not always enforced. For example, until you are 18 years of age, an underage driver is not allowed to have another underage driver under the age of twenty in the vehicle. This law is not enforced enough. There are many stories of teenage drivers getting caught with another friend in the car with them but a lot of times they will get off easy. When teenagers hear about these stories they do not take the law seriously. Until twelve months have passed since you received your drivers registration you are not allowed to drive between 11pm and 5am. Many teenagers succumb to peer pressure at parties or just out with friends. This could cause them to drive after the permitted hours. In order to prevent deaths we need to enforce these laws for beginner drivers. One way to make sure new drivers remember their training is to make them take a drivers test every year until they become of legal age. This ensures that they meet the competency of a safe driver.

I am only 16 and have not yet received my driver’s license. I have not been in a car while any of my friends were driving. I have seen a family member driving recklessly while I was in the car. My stepdad is not the most responsible driver. As People get older they take all of their years as a driver and use it to justify their driving even if it is not responsible. This leaves them with the mindset that they can take a call or send a quick message while on the road. This is a big problem because when your child sees a parent or guardian driving recklessly they will also think it is ok when it comes time for them to drive. It is a parents job to set rules and teach children that driving is a privilege and can be deadly when you abuse your right to drive.

I have always been a level headed teenager. I have never given into peer pressure or done anything related to drugs just because it would make me “cool”. I have already done the online portion of the drivers ed training so when it comes time for me to take the wheel I will be safe. I can help my friends remember to stay safe when driving because we have our whole lives ahead of us and too many teenagers make a mistake too early and that is what caused 7 teens to die everyday due to driving related accidents.