Driving: A Rite of Passage

Drivers ed courses are like a rite of passage, a passage to the road and a passage to responsibility. Having access to a car and being trusted to operate a vehicle is a huge undertaking and should not be taken lightly. I wholeheartedly believe that taking Drivers Ed classes are a necessity, both for maturing and for owning the weight of the task put before you.

Every year in America, roughly 2,500 teenagers lose their lives in motor vehicle crashes and these deaths are senseless. They can be prevented and should be because teens are the future of our world. Being a teen is hard work! There are so many emotions and hormones and fears that are swirling around in our heads and there are steps that can be taken to help us in the vein of motor vehicle safety.

Some steps toward safety that can be enacted are ones around the character of the driver. I believe that drivers should have to show signs of maturity and responsibility before being allowed to gain their driver’s license. I don’t think it is enough simply to be able to pass a written test and a drivers test. According to the CDC, most wrecks and deaths caused by those wrecks are because of either a teenager being overly emotional, under the influence or careless about the task they are doing at the time. I think a teenager should have to pass the written test showing their knowledge of the laws, pass the driver exam to show their capability to operate a motor vehicle and then also prove their character by getting two letters of recommendation from an adult. I think this could also give those adults the opportunity to share with the teenager the importance of what they are undertaking.

I have six siblings and I know the idea of us driving terrifies my parents at times. The only wreck I have ever been in was with my friend. She was frazzled because the lady at the ice cream shop didn’t treat her kindly and as she left, she was still consumed with those thoughts. She completely ran a red light causing all of our ice creams to go flying, air bags deployed and the car was totalled. In my experience, we were not under the influence, we were not being immature in behavior, but our emotions were not allowing us to be present with our task at hand.

Personally, I have made a commitment to not touch my phone when I drive. If ever I am upset, I pull over and wait until I can get my mind straight–thanks to the advice of my mom! I will never drive under the influence or use my car as a weapon. On top of all of that, I will talk to my peers and my younger siblings about the same commitments.