Protecting Ourselves and Society Through Educated Driving

Protecting Ourselves and Society Through Educated Driving

As teenagers, we think we’re on top of the world. We’re old enough to be independent and young enough to be invincible. Not to undermine our capabilities, but we’re not invincible and don’t quite know everything about life. I remember when I first learned to drive with my parents, not yet attending a driving school, thinking how easy it was. Driving came so naturally to me, I wondered why I would need to go to a driving school. I quickly learned attending a driving school was critical to me becoming a safe driver. There are other drivers, bikers, and pedestrians, all with lives as complex as ours that deserve to be safe when they step out of their homes and on to the roads.

Attending a driving school heightened my awareness of my surroundings when behind the wheel. When you go out on the road it is your duty to drive safely and smartly as there are so many other drivers around you, and receiving a driver’s education will help you fulfill this duty. To further protect yourself and others, teenagers should never drive distracted, never reach for our phones or eat while driving. I know it’s just one text or one song change, but it can wait. If it’s urgent pull over. Accidents happen lighting fast, and no text back is worth the consequences of a car accident. I’ve seen it amongst my friends and myself, thinking we’re good enough drivers to multitask, to distractedly drive. The other day my friend was eating and driving and completely ran through a red light. We are lucky enough to have made it out unharmed, but she easily could have hit a pedestrian or been t-boned by another driver. We’re not as invincible as we think, we are not yet experienced drivers, and need to be diligent in practicing safe and responsible driving. To be a responsible and informed driver, put your phone on Do Not Disturb or airplane mode before you turn on the car. Turn on driving mode, which notifies people you are driving and cannot respond to your phone – you’ll have no excuse saying you instantly needed to get back to someone.

A form of distracted driving I never considered until becoming a driver myself is driving while lost. The worst drivers are the ones who are confused, staring down at their phone or a map, trying to both drive and determine where they are going. Recently I drove somewhere I’d never been before, and realized how poorly I drove constantly looking for street signs and back down at my Google maps. Even though I was looking for directions, I was still looking down at my phone. I decided to pull over instead of driving in circles, study my map and get my bearings. I realized that prior to even starting my car, I should’ve reviewed my route, known my turns and freeway exits as opposed to solely trusting directions shouted out by Siri.

Receiving a driver’s education is crucial in keeping our roads safe. New drivers must remember we are not alone on the roads, and driving safely protects not only us but also our communities. A driver’s education teaches you things about driving that aren’t so inherent, like what certain signs mean, how to drive in varying weather conditions, what to do when you get a flat tire, or how to behave when you get pulled over. Completing your drivers education is the first step in becoming a safe driver, which can be maintained by eliminating distractions like your phone and food, and always knowing how to safely get to your destination.