More Than Your Seatbelt

Ymann Orpilla

11/8/2020

More Than Your Seatbelt

As a high school senior who still doesn’t have his driver’s license, I have to say I’m rather jealous of all my friends who got their first cars two years ago. In those two years, however, I’ve been the witness of some dumb kids who’ve already driven outside of both lane lines and the law. The staggering number of reckless people has definitely reduced my envy a bit.

Now, I do realize that without a license, I don’t necessarily have the authority or experience to be saying these things with the finality and confidence that I do. Rather, I write these tips from the perspective of both a learner, and as a witness to family and friends who’ve fallen victim. I’m in the age range that is involved in the most accidents. I’m doing my best to make sure both myself and others like me don’t fall into the same trap.

First, get into the right mentality. Before even getting into your car, make sure you’re both physically and mentally prepared to drive the whole way. For first drivers, this could just mean building up confidence. That mentality check also includes the basics, such as “did I drink too much?” or “am I well rested enough?”. It doesn’t have to be a long consideration process; it could just be the five seconds it takes for you to get to your car.

Once you’re confident enough to turn the ignition, the next step is the basics; put on your seatbelt, adjust mirrors, double check the comfort of your passengers, etc. This sort of “setup phase” is essentially removing any distractions you may have when you’re actually driving. I’m a fan of music, and I insist on setting that up every time before shifting into ignition. If you’re like me and need that little shift in mood to help you concentrate, set it up before you get onto the driveway. I know the importance of finding the right song. Just make sure you do it safely.

When you’re finally on the road, you have to remember a couple things. First and most obvious are the rules in your driver’s manual. Red means stop, green means go, yellow means caution–not speed up. Second, and more importantly in my opinion, is driving with consideration. If there’s anything to take from this, it’s the golden rule. Everyone drives differently, and everyone makes mistakes. From the moment you pull into the driveway to the time you park, you are going to meet racers, grandmas, and straight up criminals on the road. As tempting as it is to demonstrate explicit forms of frustration when meeting these people, it’s crucial to realize that doing so will be a greater detriment to the drivers around you. Driving too slow or too reckless is their problem. Don’t be a part of it. Aside from the technical stuff you memorize in driver’s ed, safe driving is essentially just being considerate to others. Once you acknowledge this fact, you’ll be golden.