A wish, a wheel, and a warrantee

Driving is one of the many delights of being a teenager. Many teens will dream of earning their license and the freedom to go out without your parents anymore. Some have the vision of 90s and 2000s movies where people are carpooling with the top down. This vision is a far cry from the reality of a new driver. Many of us are using the old family car and cannot drive with others in the vehicle for several months to a year. The importance of proper education is lost in the cinematic vision curated by many. We do not romanticize the hours in a classroom watching crash videos and filling out endless worksheets about the rules of the road. Why would we want to sit through all without counting the minutes until we leave or counting sheep to sleep?

The average sized car weighs about 3500 lbs. The weight comes from the amount of metal housed in the framework and engine compartment, as well as the interior elements and outer shell. In the countryside the speed limit can vary from 45 to 60 depending on the region you live in. A heavy and fast moving object is as much of, if not more of, a weapon as a gun or knife. Driver’s education is a tool to help us understand how these machines work and all the laws of the road in our state and around the country. From time to time the laws can change and not everyone is up to date on every update in the laws of the road, except drivers ed instructors. Mom and dad can teach the mechanics of the car and how to read the speedometer but the crime laws for speeding or having people in the car, or when curfew for underage drivers is are things that have likely changed since they learned. Handling a 3500 lb metal weapon is the reality of driving, and is not a pretty one when looking at the world we live in.

Death by motor vehicle is more common than any of us like to admit, every night on the news there is at least one story of a dangerous or fatal car crash. Many of these crashes are caused by distracted driving from phones, people, or intoxication. Phones are great assets to us in many ways such as the GPS system or listening to our personal playlists via bluetooth even this much usage can be enough of a distraction to drivers. If you set up bluetooth before leaving your house that is one limit to using phones, similarly starting a gps route before driving off can reduce the need to grab for your phone while driving. While ideally one should never have their phone on, in reach, or in sight while driving these two things are as commonplace as drinking water for most people. To further limit mobile distractions you could have a passenger that gives directions and handles music instead. Still be weary of having someone else in the car, remember to look at the road not the person talking. Smaller humans are more risky to drive with because they are very demanding of attention that cannot or should not be given while driving but are less understanding of that fact.

Intoxication is one of the most dangerous forms of distracted driving. Impairment of the senses can cause lessened depth perception and slower reaction time. Already many attempts have been made to stop this type of driving such as driving services and designated drivers but it has still not been enough. One added car feature is a breathalyzer that will not allow the car to turn on if it detects alcohol or other drugs from one’s breath. This feature has been implemented mostly for those that have a history of alcohol abuse and/or drunk driving. My uncle is required by state law to have one implemented in every vehicle he ever owns from now until his death. Before he had these breathalyzers being in the car with him felt like a death wish. He would swerve across the center of the road, had huge variability in his speeds, and make far too sudden stops. He was a great uncle who taught me many things but after too many close calls to falling in a ditch or into the nearest lightpost I never got in the car with him again. I choose to preserve my own life over the spur of the moment with him.

While learning to drive my parents were not the best examples to learn from as they will speed, excessively swear and scream at other drivers, swerve around slow vehicles when not in passing lanes, and will often drive very sleep deprived. When I was learning they often asked why I was going so slow when I was going the speed limit. Since earning my license I have been a much safer driver than them. I regularly follow the speed limit, keep distance from vehicles in front of me, and try not to bother getting mad at other drivers because I can only control my actions not theres. If something minor were to happen to the car from someone else’s action our insurance and car warranty would cover us.

The car warranty is for minor breaks that come with everyday use to a vehicle. Many think it will cover a crash, even if it is their fault alone. These warranties are made to keep the car running at near mint level for minor things such as the air conditioning system or electronics.

Emphasizing the importance of driver education should be a priority for parents of teenagers because of the possible danger they pose to others and that others pose to them. When learning a new skill there will be times where we have no idea what to do and on the road this kind of ignorance is a hundred times more risky than touching a hot glue gun in crafts. Keep the wish to drive alive but ensure they are taught what to do behind the wheel and where their warranty lies.