My name is Daniel McLaughlin. I am 19 years old from Haverhill, MA. I currently attend Towson University and am a member of their division 1 swim team. I had a unique experience in achieving my driver’s license. I turned 16 a month into the Covid-19 shut down in 2020. The registry of motor vehicles was closed and would not accept any appointments to take my permit test until some time in May. My Mom was on the RMV website every day and even late into the night to try and get me an appointment. It took quite a few days of trying but she was finally able to get me an appointment. I had already signed up to do the classwork for my driver’s education program and thankfully they were able to make that happen virtually so I didn’t have any more delays. I passed my permit test on the first try which made me very happy. However, the registry and driving school were still trying to figure out things Covid related so there were many delays. Eventually it all came together and I was able to get my license two weeks before I turned 17 (only 5 months later than originally planned).
As I reflect on the drivers education classes, they most certainly prepared me for the start of my on the road driving. I had learned so much information but I was a little nervous about remembering it all once I was actually on the road. My Mom, Dad and older sister reassured me that I could do it and would gain confidence with lots of practice. Again, thinking back to those first few on the road experiences, I was able to take things slowly at my own pace as I adjusted to focusing on road safety as well as getting to know the actual vehicle. My Mom was the first one to take me out driving and she was very calm and patient with me because I was very nervous.
Once I started getting out on the road more often, I was thankful for the knowledge I had learned in my classes and with my Mom’s patient understanding. I gained more and more confidence but also respected and understood the responsibility of driving. My parent’s car was big so I felt safe but also realized that that big truck could do a lot of damage if I messed up driving. We had been in a car crash when I was 12 and I vividly remembered it. Our truck had some damage but the other car was totally smashed up. My parents made sure that I took the driving responsibility seriously to reinforce what the driving school instructor had told me.
As much as going through the many many hours of driving lessons with a certified instructor seemed to drag on, I look back and am thankful for that time to practice and practice. After the fact, I understood how so much practice boosted my confidence and allowed me to ask questions in real life driving situations as they were happening. I could ask questions about driving laws that I had forgotten from the classes that helped me stay a safe driver. As much as I thought the number of hours required with a parent of driving instructor was too much, I do see that all the practice made me a better and safer driver.
Unfortunately I did get into a crash myself when I was 18. It was my fault and the family truck that I learned to drive in was totalled. Thankfully no one was hurt. However, I felt miserable and defeated, but the other driver and my parents reassured me that accidents do happen and that they are called accidents because bad things can still happen to good drivers. I had over a year of driving experience and drove with many of my parents' friends who commented and complimented me on my safe driving. I know I had learned all the safety rules and had lots of practice but it was still so disappointing that I had let my guard down for a split second and got into a crash. It certainly did raise my awareness of how quickly driving conditions can change and that the driver’s awareness needs to be on high alert at all times. So I guess getting into that crash helped me be a safer driver.
My younger brother is now preparing to get his driver’s license. He completed all his classwork and will get his permit soon. I feel that with my experience driving all over New England and down to Maryland for college, I will be able to share my knowledge and support him to be a safe driver on the roads.