Driver education is critical for anyone, but especially for young, new and inexperienced drivers. Young people tend to underestimate the danger that a big machine, which is what a car is, poses. Couple the big machine of the car with speed, and you have a scenario where a nanosecond can mean the difference of life as you know it and, worst case, death. Teens also tend to underestimate the need to anticipate the actions of all the drivers around them, not just themselves. I believe a big part of effective driver’s education – after learning the rules of the road – is ample practice with an experienced, cautious, defensive and forward-looking driver. My parents made it a point to take me driving from the time I received my permit. We started small and slow, in abandoned parking lots at first, then through empty side streets, and would constantly up the ante, eventually graduating to highway, nighttime and inclement weather driving. While parent taught driving has requirements for all types of driving on paper, I know all too many parents who do not take these requirements seriously, just “sign off”, have their child pass the test, only to pay the price later when their child gets into a serious car accident shortly after getting their license. While practice certainly does not eliminate the potential for accidents, I believe it seriously reduces it. As such, I wish there was more “enforcement” of the parent taught aspect of driver’s ed. Perhaps a solution would be to require at least a minimum number of hours with a licensed driving instructor to at least decrease the likelihood of young drivers having had little to no driving practice. In Germany, where my mom is from, every teen must take at least 25 hours of behind the wheel instruction from a licensed driving school. Those hours consist of a certain number of hours in different circumstances, such as night driving, highway driving, driving in bad weather etc. A teen cannot sign up for the behind the wheel test unless the driving instructor certifies that they are ready to take the test, if they are not, they must take additional hours in the area that they are lacking in. I think this system is wonderful in providing youngsters with a more well-rounded driver’s ed experience, thereby decreasing the likelihood of future accidents.
While I personally (thankfully!) have not been involved in a car accident, I am friends with girl whose life was permanently altered by unsafe driving. My friend, let’s name her “Heather”, had it all – beautiful, wealthy, smart, Cheer Captain, she had just been accepted to Auburn, the university of her dreams a few days prior. The world was literally at her feet. On a sunny Saturday afternoon, Heather was cruising around Dallas with some girlfriends, Taylor Swift blaring, sunroof open and doors of her Ford Bronco taken off. From what I was told later by the other girls in the car, Heather was not necessarily speeding, but between singing along, chatting with friends and taking selfies, all while driving, she was distracted. As her car turned onto a busy road coming out of a side street, Heather failed to see some ongoing traffic and collided with another car going 50 mph. Heather wound up getting ejected from her car, ended up underneath another car and survived by only a thread. While Heather would ultimately live, to this day (2 years post-accident), Heather cannot walk, talk, eat, speak or do anything for herself, despite having had the best of therapies that money can buy. The life of the All-American Cheerleader who seemingly had it all was forever altered in seconds. The impact of the accident extends beyond Heather. While Heather’s passengers did not sustain serious physical injuries, they are scarred of life, as well. All of them now suffer from serious survivor’s guilt, depression, nightmares and PTSD.
I think if more teen drivers heard and saw the (graphic) pictures of Heather’s accident, they would probably think twice about their actions. While I don’t believe in scare tactics per se, I think that in cases like this, showing examples of what can happen to people “just like you” says more than a thousand words in a dry and boring driver’s ed class.
As a result of what my family instilled in me coupled with seeing my friend Heather and her friends go through their experience, I try to be very cognizant and picky of who I ride with. From the age of 16, I had the Uber and Lyft apps on my phone and my parents drummed into me that, even if I had a ride, if I did not feel safe going home with that person, that I was always to call and pay for my own Uber to get home, no questions asked. I have rejected rides from people who were drunk, overtired, just not good drivers for a myriad of other reasons. I have often volunteered as the designated driver and take that role seriously. In addition, I am proud to say that I wrangled car keys away from my fair share of friends who were intoxicated and were going to drive drunk and was able to get them in an Uber and home safely instead.
I know Heather and her family would give literally anything to get a do over – but in driving, you don’t get that choice. What is done is done. No second chances. Let us treat driving with the seriousness and respect it deserves, and I believe if we all did, our roads would be a safer place for all involved.