The Privilege of Driving

In the Driver’s Seat

There are many milestones we are familiar with in today’s society as a teen. One such milestone is getting a driver’s license. This of course is a huge responsibility that cannot be taken lightly. What many teens seem to forget is that driving is a privilege that one must do with care. When driving irresponsibly, it can lead to injuries and even death. According to the CDC, teens have the highest risk of getting into car accidents. This is why to decrease chances of irresponsible driving we must enforce the importance of driving education, remind ourselves to be aware of our surroundings, and limit our distractions when behind the wheel.

When taking on a big responsibility, we must educate ourselves the best we can. Driving is no different. Hitting the road before hitting the books is very tempting, but there is a reason why those rules exist. We cannot let ourselves assume we know everything when we do not. Educating ourselves on safe driving decreases the chances of making a life altering mistake.

Staying alert on the road can also promote safe driving. Letting yourself become inattentive, or even allowing your mind to wander can be a dangerous thing. One example of dangerously inattentive behavior could be continuing to drive while feeling tired. My own mother used to fall asleep behind the wheel on her way to work which ended up with her getting into several minor collisions in just one year. Tickets from collisions that happened just because you were falling asleep or any other minor distractions is just not worth it. Being alert can help us steer clear of avoidable collisions. This is why implementing the habits of a defensive driver is important.

Lastly, limiting distractions can also add to the safety precautions that prevent harm. There are things that we are told to avoid regularly, like texting and driving, or drinking and driving, but there are so many other distractions we must avoid as well. Things like putting on makeup, or spending too much time focusing on anything other than the road can also be hazardous. These things can also get drivers into a lot of trouble as well. If one is caught repeating an offense there can even be a chance of getting their driver’s license revoked, or even jail time.

In conclusion, being a safe driver requires one to exercise a number of things on the road. Getting the proper education, staying alert, and keeping away distractions are all ways to stay responsible when driving. When driving safer, we can truly appreciate the privilege of driving the way it was supposed to be appreciated. Once teens implement these safety guidelines more often we can break the devastating statistics.