Select Page

Driver Education 2020 – Teens Must Learn Defensive Driving

Name: Gabriel Flemenbaum
From: Lincolnshire, Illinois
Votes: 0

Teens Must Learn Defensive Driving


I was recently in a horrific car crash. Thankfully, my father and I,
and all others involved, were able to walk away with just bumps and
bruises. My father had to be extracted from the car by the “jaws of
life”, we survived, but I was shaken – not physically, but
mentally. It woke me up to some realities. Teens have to be
defensive drivers.

Teens believe
they are invulnerable. We believe we know it all. We have a hard
time listening and accepting criticism. We believe older generations,
“just don’t understand”. It does not help that cars have
wonderful technologies and safety features built in, giving teens an
added sense of security, a false security.

The truth is that
teens are inexperienced drivers and more likely to be distracted
drivers. Today’s teens have grown up with cell phones, texts and
video literally at their fingertips. This only adds to the risks for
teens. We need more education, more lessons and real- life
experience. I realize Illinois law is also trying to help distracted
teens. Illinois law limits teens to having only 1 other person in the
car (if not related to them). I once considered this harsh and
“boomer” thinking, but after being in accident, I understand how
important it is to limit distractions. I need to do everything I can
to keep my eyes on the road, because you sometimes have to be a
defensive driver. I made my turn and thought I could make it, but the
other driver was distracted. He did not see me until it was too late,
and when he looked up from his phone, he swerved the wrong way (into
our path) and did not even try to stop. While I recognize I could
have done things very differently, if I had more experience, I might
have decided the risk was not worth it. I may have realized that
other drivers can be bad drivers and I can only rely own my actions,
my decision to save my life out on the road.