Say Cheese

Oh what a joy, it’s your sixteenth birthday and you are about to take your permit test to start driving. You have been studying for weeks, months, paying close attention to what your parents are doing as they drive. Now it’s the day you have been waiting for, for sixteen years now came faster than you thought! You walk up the courthouse steps and enter the building, with your heart racing with excitement and nerves for the test you are about to take. After filling out paperwork, not exactly sure what for, you head to a room where they hand you a test. Your heart beats a little faster, you open the booklet and get started. Overthinking the easiest questions just to make sure you get the right answer. You finish and you hand in your test… did you pass, oh goodness does green really mean go… then they tell you that you passed!! You are super excited, this is the time you have waited for sixteen year! You go to take your picture for your license. Ready they say on three, 1..2..3.. CHEESE. “Oh wait did I blink”. You get your license back, possibly the worst picture ever you think, and then you are ready to start driving. You hop in the car ready to conquer the world. You go to start the car and then totally freak out! You thought it looked easy when your parents drove and thought of course you could do better than them but realized you have full responsibility behind the wheel. You start to go and realize your mother is scared to death, pushing their fake break and holding on to the handle above their head. You soon realize the importance of paying attention, following the rules, and being fully aware. Not only is your life on the line but the people you love most in your car and the people in the cars around you.

This is just a glimpse into a day of a sixteen year old in Kentucky, getting their learning permit. A lot of responsibility is held when a person gets behind the wheel. Drivers need to know the importance of being aware, following laws, putting down things that can wait until you are done driving and well as knowing the risks if you don’t do the previous things. Although getting the ability to drive is nervourakcing and exciting, seen by the sixteen year old, there are still risks these sixteen year olds should know about.

My school holds a crash scene right before prom to show the effects of what a drunk driver crash would look like. Random students get picked to be in the scene while the other students are in silence with deep thought and concentration. A crash will occur and we the students get to see what happens to the people in the wreck and who all is affected. Ambulances, helicopters, morticians, the parents of the students, all show up, some serious , some in tiers, putting the secearior in vision for them.

Drivers education is very important to help keep the driver, passenger, and the other people around them safe. Knowing the rules and regulations is a key to making sure everyone does their part to keep a safe road.