Finally Free: How Young Drivers Need to Stay Cautious

Finally,
Free:

How
Young Drivers Need to Stay Cautious

As
a child we all dream about when we finally get the chance to drive.
No more needing mom or dad to drive around everywhere for us. No more
taking the bus to and from school. Finally, being free to go wherever
we want. Getting the privilege of having a license opens many doors
for teenagers around the world. But with this newfound freedom comes
great responsibility. Many young drivers on the roads think that they
are invincible and that nothing bad could happen to them. That’s
where they’re wrong. As a teenager, we all want to drive around
with our friends and listen to loud music. But with those additional
add-ons it can create more distractions for the driver. Of course,
you can’t expect everyone in the car to just sit and be quiet while
on the road. It may be the most ideal thing for drivers, but it’s
not the reality. I, myself, know what it is like to be a new driver
on the road and having to deal with many distractions. I like to go
out for a drive with my friends but sometimes it can cause a big
frenzy. Most of the time I am the one that drives everywhere. When we
go for long drives it can be even harder. This is because sometimes I
don’t know where I am going and I need directions, and with other
people in the car it can be difficult to hear where I am going. I
rely on my friends to help with directions. It can be helpful to have
other people in the car, because while they can create problems, they
also help to minimize them. Not only can other people create issues
but hearing the ding and beep of a cell phone is just other
distraction that drivers need to control. For a teenager our cell
phones are our livelihood. We use them for everything and though they
may be useful for music and directions, they should not be in the
hands of a driver. The sound of a notification ding coming from our
phones, makes us instantly want to grab it and see who or what it is.
This is all fine and well while sitting at home lounging on the
couch, but in the driver’s seat, it should be silenced. Not being
able to hear the phone going off creates a safer driving environment
for both the driver and others on the road. Sure, sending just a
quick text to mom saying, “we’re on our way home”, or even to
our friends saying we’re “almost there” seems harmless, but
once the eyes are off the road, anything can happen. While driving,
paying attention to the roads and the people on them, as well as
having to pay attention to how fast the car is moving is a lot for
just one person. Driving is hard enough, but it’s very helpful to
drive with caution.