In The Driver’s Seat

Molly Lyons 

Heritage High School 

Scholarship Essay 

September 30, 2026 

In the Driver’s Seat 

By: Mollyann Lyons 

Like any other teenager, I have always known that I would be an amazing driver. Even when I was a little girl, I imagined myself behind the wheel, free, confident and independent. Finally able to have that freedom to go wherever I wanted whenever I wanted. That changed about a year ago. After witnessing accidents on the road driving past, and hearing of my fellow classmates in car accidents, I became more aware of how quickly something can go very, very wrong. That’s when driving started to feel differently to me. 

Now, at seventeen, I’m a student driver, and I’ve started to find myself caught between two feelings; the excitement of finally being independent and the fear of what could happen when somebody on the road makes one wrong decision. Of course, I still believe I can become an amazing driver, but I no longer have a strong belief that being a great driver means to never be scared.To me, it means respecting the roads enough to understand why that fear exists. 

One of the biggest reasons that I take driving soseriously is because I have seen how quickly an accident can become something terrifying. Car accidents have always scared me deeply because they can happen in a matter of a second. You could be having an ordinary day, thinking about where you’re going to eat for lunch, listening to your favorite artist, and suddenly everything changes. As a teenage driver, that reality truly stays rent-free in the back of my mind. 

My own family has even experienced that fear personally. Before I was even born, my father was involved in a car accident. Thankfully, he survived and is here with us today. I grew up knowing that story, although I wasn’t there to experience on my own behalf, it reminds me that accidents aren’t just made up things that happen on TV or videos we would watch in school. They happen in real life, to real families. They happen to friends, siblings, parents and people who thought that they were simply just driving to school, home or work. 

There is even a slightly hilarious story that came from that accident. When my brother was younger, my mother did not want him knowing that our father had been in an accident because she was aware on how much that would frighten him. So, instead, she told him that aliens in space had temporarily gotten a hold of Dad. Looking back now, it’s almost funny how such a terrifying situation somehow turned into an alien story. But, underneath the humor is something much more serious; my family knows what it feels like to be afraid that someone you love may just not come home. 

As I begin driving myself, I also think about the other dangers that go beyond just accidents. Being a young girl in the driver’s seat comes with another level of awareness. I’ve heard conversations about human trafficking and kidnapping. Those possibilities can make something as simple as stopping at your local gas station just feel different. I don’t believe young drivers like me should live in constant fear. However, I do think we should constantly be educated throughout our childhood about personal safety. 

For me, that also means being fully aware of my surroundings, keeping my doors locked, paying attention to unusual situations, and being careful about where I stop. It also means I must come to an understanding that being educated about safety doesn’t mean assuming that every stranger is dangerous. It also means knowing that it is okay to leave a situation or just asking for help. A car is able to provide freedom and independence, but it also should always be treated as a responsibility and a place where I make my own smart decisions. 

Being educated about driving also means understanding distractions. As teenagers, our cellphones are basically attached to us. A small notification can feel impossible to ignore. But when I’m driving that notification must wait. No message, Tiktok or phone call is ever worth taking my eyes off the road. The person driving near me deserves my attention just as much as I fully deserve theirs. 

Speed is another lesson I must take seriously. Being young, it can be extremely easy to think that driving faster makes you look or feel confident and even experienced. In actuality, being a great driver isn’t ever about proving how fast you can go. It is about knowing when to slow down. It’s about leaving enough space between you and the car in front of you, wearing a seat belt and especially understanding that other drivers can and will make the wrong decision. 

As a seventeen-year-old, I’m aware that I still have so much to learn about driving. Every single time I get behind that wheel, I gain more experience and learn to be even more cautious than I was yesterday. The driver’s seat represents growing up, maturing and being trusted with a huge responsibility that can affect me and alsoeveryone around me. I want to earn that trust by continuing to be an educated, responsible and safe driver. 

I used to think driving was mostly just about free will, but now I understand that freedom comes along with responsibility. I’m not able to control every accident or dangerous scenario, but I am able to control my own decisions by putting my phone away, slowing down when necessary, wearing my seat belt properly, and staying focused. At seventeen, I am learning how to navigate both adulthood and the road and I want to remember that getting somewhere swiftly will never, ever be more important than getting there safely.