They
Make It Look So Easy



Who
am I talking about? Let’s face it, our parents have been driving
us around our entire life and they are our driving role model. They
are the masters of multi-tasking. It starts early in life as they
are pulling into the car pool lane, reaching behind to hand us our
lunch and steering the car with one hand. Then they pick us up after
school, hand us the sandwich and we are off to practice. On the way,
another parent calls with a friend needing a ride. Mom pops the
address into the GPS and we are off. Of course all this is happening
while she is driving the car.




So
when it is time to learn to drive, let’s be honest, they have made
it looks pretty easy. But the responsibility of operating a motor
vehicle is far beyond car pool lines and running to practice.




Driver
education conducted by a trained professional is necessary to break
the paradigm of watching mom and dad. What are the rules of the
road? A truly responsible driver understands that magnitude of
getting behind the wheel. Drivers ed provides a new look at
driving the car. A safety first perspective that does not accept
multi tasking for any reason when behind the wheel. Focus first
prevents accidents.




I
never saw my parents as irresponsible drivers, just busy taking care
of the family. But the reality is that every time they took that
important business call, they became a distracted driver. Every time
we ate in the car on the way to the game, passing out food and eating
themselves, they were a distracted driver.




Saving
lives behind the wheel comes down to a very basic thought in my mind.
When you step into the vehicle, you have only one responsibility.
That is to watch the road and the cars around you. You are in charge
of your safety and those that are riding with you. There is never a
reason that is so huge that you should allow it to interfere with
safe and focused driving.




Be
the friend that says, “hey, make that call later”. Or that says,
“let’s just eat here in the parking lot”. When you are headed
out the door to a location that you haven’t been to before, take a
few minutes to look at the route. Know where you are going before
you leave the driveway.




Our
children will watch us drive and also think, “wow, that looks
easy”. It’s our time to be a good role model and put safety
before everything. Let’s start a generation of non-distraction.
Just simply focus on driving the car.