Lessons from a Teenage Boy

Lessons from a Teenage Boy

I am a teenage boy. I love to drive the used Ford truck my parents bought me for my sixteenth birthday. After getting my license at the DPS, I remember pulling into the driveway and watching my mom get out. I was so excited to drive by myself. I immediately left the house to head to the school for soccer practice. The sense of freedom was overwhelming. I think every young man looks forward to that day. Of course, my parents had lectured me many times on the responsibility of driving. They reminded daily of the additional rules that apply to new drivers including never having more than one other teenager in the car other than my brother. That rule made absolutely no sense to me. Teenagers are supposed to hang out together. That is part of being young. I was one of the oldest in my class, so I received my license before many of my friends. I did not want to turn them down when they asked for a ride. Only three short months later, I had my first wreck. I will never forget the moment that my truck collided with a sedan leaving a store parking lot or the heartbreak I felt when I saw the damaged and dented truck that I loved so dearly. Glass was lying on the road everywhere. I turned to check on the passengers in my truck. All four of the girls riding with me seemed ok except for one that had a minor cut on her head. She later had to get two stitches. Yes, you read that correctly. I had four young ladies, Kathleen, Chloe, Courtney, and Carrie, in the car with me at the time of the accident. I remember the sick feeling I had in the pit of my stomach realizing that they would all have to call their parents, and I would have to call mine. I think I was in shock because I didn’t cry or panic. The driver of the sedan went to the hospital in an ambulance. Thankfully, he only had superficial injuries. I was incredibly lucky that night. It could have been so much worse. After having a couple of days to think about what had happened; it hit me. I was responsible my friends that were riding with me. I was also responsible for a stranger that I had never met. I broke down and cried in my mother’s arms for over an hour. I felt fear and guilt. I had risked their lives and I don’t know what I would have done had one of them been injured severely. Three factors contributed to that wreck. First, I was driving with more than one teenager in the vehicle. I remember that just before the wreck, the girls were giggling and singing loudly. I didn’t truly understand the distraction that could cause. I hate to admit it, but their presence may have also contributed to me wanting to show off just a little bit. I now completely understood why the law had been written and why my parents were insistent that I follow it. Secondly, I was not as familiar with the rule that you can only turn left on a green light if you first yield the right of way to vehicles going straight coming from the opposite direction. I had not yielded the right of way. Finally, I had not made all the teens in my car put on a seat belt. I didn’t think I had the right to make them do that, and I didn’t want to be nerdy. The only person injured was the girl that did not have on a seat belt. After the wreck, I was very clear on my responsibility. I knew that I would never make those mistakes again. Driver’s education is incredibly important because it sets out a clear list of rules to keep people safe. If everyone knew the rules inside and out and followed them, I have no doubt that there would be significantly fewer wrecks and deaths on our roads. All drivers must make the decision to take the role of a driver seriously. Our friends, families, and even strangers count of us every time they hit the road. I feel that the test to receive your certificate should be more difficult and more in depth. We must make sure that everyone knows the rules of the road. I have taken greater responsibility when I drive, and I now do not encourage my friends to drive fast or wrecklessly. I speak up when I see someone I know driving inappropriately. The rules exist for a reason. I was lucky; I was able to learn my lesson without killing someone.