How young drivers can be safer and more responsible

When I was first learning how to drive my mom would always tell me you’re not the only one on the road and that it’s not just your life that could be in danger, but somebody else’s. That is why it is vital to learn how to be a responsible and safe driver so that not only are you safer, but everyone around you whether they are driving or not is safer. I like to say you have to be both a good driver and a good passenger. By this I mean to be a safe and responsible driver while you are behind the wheel, and even when you are not make sure that whoever you are driving with is also acting responsibly. This makes it so that both you and the people you are around build safe and responsible driving habits.

So how does someone be a good driver? When you first get into the car and are about to begin driving somewhere it is best to get into the habit of checking all your mirrors and seat positioning and adjusting them to where you are most comfortable while driving. The next and probably most crucial step is if you have your phone on your person, take it and put it out of sight and on silent mode. You can put it in the glove compartment, the center console, or even throw it in the backseat of your car. You want your phone to be out of your reach while you are driving so that there isn’t any temptation for you to get distracted. You can even turn on a setting on your phone where if someone calls or texts you while you’re driving it will respond and let the person know you won’t be responding because you are behind the wheel. That way people are much more reasonable when you don’t pick up or text back. Now that you have your potential distractions out of the way you’re ready to get on the road. The next part of being a good driver is going to be different for everyone, everybody has different levels of confidence while driving and some may be better at it than others and some people might have more experience. There is one thing that will undoubtedly help you with becoming a good driver on the road and that is knowing all the rules and regulations. If you know the rules of the road you put yourself in a much safer position because even if you aren’t confident behind the wheel you still know what to do and what not to do. The confidence will come with practice and experience.

Now you may be wondering, how exactly can I be a good passenger? Being a good passenger is key for letting others you may be driving with build their own safe driving habits and confidence. If you’re a passenger in the car it’s your responsibility to make sure that there are as few distractions for the driver as possible. Being a good passenger means instead of letting the driver adjust heat settings or music settings and whatnot while driving do it for them so they can stay focused on the road. Make sure whoever is driving follows the rules of the road, you don’t have to be a jerk about it, but if you see your buddy miss a turn signal or maybe they are going too fast just give them a reminder. As a passenger, you can also be making sure that not only the person driving the vehicle you are in is being safe, but you can also be more alert to vehicles around you that might be driving unsafely. Say you are on a highway and you’re a passenger in the car and you see someone behind you who is cutting in and out of traffic going really fast, that would be a good time for you as a passenger to let the driver know hey maybe we should get in the right-hand lane or get out of this person’s way. Having an extra set of eyes on the road makes it so that both the driver and other vehicles on the road are in a much safer position.

I think it is safe to say that everybody would stand to gain from people being safe and educated drivers. That’s why I believe it is so important, especially for younger drivers to learn how to be safe and responsible behind the wheel. They can do this by eliminating potential distractions while driving and knowing the rules of the road. As well as making sure that whoever else is driving with them does the same. That is how we can teach younger drivers to be safe and confident on the roads.