One look. 5 seconds.

One look. 5 seconds.

Many tennagers are so eager to get their licence. They can’t wait to fly though drivers ed classes just to hold their ticket to freedom in their hands. But what most kids don’t realize is not only do they hold their licences in their hands but they also hold the lives and safety of many people. Those same people take the risk and trust everyday that when they drive on the road to go home to their family they are going to make it there. But what I have personally learned is all it takes is 5 seconds and one look away and the next thing you know your car is flipped upside down and the family of the car you just hit is going to have to mourn the loss of a husband, son and family member.

This lesson was recently taught to me and my friend. My friend had gotten her license and not even 2 weeks later she dropped me off at my house which was our first mistake knowing she couldn’t drive friends yet. Not even 10 minutes later she totalled her mom’s car all because of a simple text message. She looked down for 5 seconds and the car slowly drifted into a telephone pole. Not only was her life in danger in that moment but the many people around her were as well. Luckily a miracle happened and nobody was injured but that situation could have been much worse and I could have lost my best friend, let alone with the other possibly someone could have lost their family member. But that day taught us all a lesson that driving is something that should be taken seriously, all it takes is one distraction and a life could be taken. Now it’s a rule in all our friend’s cars to place our phone in the glove compartment and not take them out until the car has come to a complete stop.

In all the experience i’ve had driving I wish someone had told me these 2 things… Now don’t get me wrong most kids don’t want to sit in a classroom for 2 hours learning how to drive when they think they already know how. But my advice to kids learning to drive would be, pay attention to drivers and they give useful information and have important stories that aren’t impossible. Lastly, most kids are so confident when they first get their permit and are first starting out driving. I’ve learned from personal observation of other people and even as well as myself that most kids think they know how to drive so well and they are an expert even when they first have their permit. This could lead to kids driving on their own, driving in places they shouldn’t be yet and breaking small laws but ones that could have large consequences. So my strongly enforced advice would be to take it slow and go through all the small necessary steps you have to go through until you get your licence and even continued after your licences. It’s so important to remember the lives or other people around and the large consequences of such a small action of looking down at your phone. It only takes 5 seconds to ruin someone’s entire lifetime. Drive safe and look up.