The Untold Side of Safe Driving

I must admit, I did not think that driver’s education was very important. I live in a very rural town in south Louisiana where most people begin driving vehicles, tractors, or four wheelers in fields way before their teenage years. Driver’s education in our area is often seen as a mere formality before we begin driving on the open road. As my birthday present for my 16^th birthday, I asked my parents to enroll me in a driver’s education program so that I could receive my license as early as possible. I figured it would be a breeze to take since our high school coaches were the instructors. Boy, was I in for a surprise. The program opened my eyes to so many things that I did not even think about. It also scared us straight and taught us the importance of safe driving. We were shown videos of fatal car accidents that were the result of drunk and distracted driving. By the time I left that class, I had no doubt that I would do everything I could not to be a statistic.

My parents knew that I would be a safe driver, but what scared them the most was me being pulled over. I know this essay is supposed to discuss reducing the number of deaths as a result of driving, but my reality is not what you would typically expect. I do not necessarily fear getting into an accident anymore, I fear getting pulled over while driving by an officer who may confuse my 6’5 220-pound gentle giant frame for someone more threatening. The additional lengths that I have to go through while driving is not something that was taught to us in drivers’ education. No longer protected by the wide-open country fields, I now must keep my hands on the steering wheel if I am stopped. I have to remember to ask for permission to move and never make any sudden movements. I cannot forget to put keep my phone on facetime, and of course, don’t look threatening. These are all things that minorities must do, in addition to all of the things that were taught to us in driver’s education.

I remember several years ago when my dad was pulled over. He had just picked my brother and I up from school and we were headed home. Our school was located on the side of town that often saw police presence, but we’d grown up there so we were very comfortable and familiar with where we were. My dad worked for a local non-profit that worked with youth in the area and was pretty well known. As my dad pulled over, I remember seeing the flashing blue lights behind us. My brother made a sudden movement to take his seatbelt off and I recall the look of fear in my dad’s eyes as he sternly told him to keep his seatbelt on and do not move. We sat there as stiff as a board but did not truly understand why. I didn’t know why we got pulled over, but I do remember the police officer asking my dad to exit the vehicle. A few minutes later, my dad came back, looked at us and drove off in silence. We never discussed that day until I got my driver’s license. He told me that apparently, he had fit the description of someone they were looking for in the neighborhood, but once they saw his name tag, they let him go. All of the what-ifs began to race through my mind. What if one of us looked more like the person they were looking for? What if the timing of my brother’s movements were so that it startled the officer? What if my dad didn’t get to drive away that day?

In order to reduce deaths as a result of driving, additional measures need to be taken in order to protect minorities while driving. A portion of drivers education programs should be dedicated to what teenagers should do when being stopped by law enforcement. Additionally, having law enforcement participate in driver’s education courses would also be helpful. I believe that candid conversations about the issues that minorities face while driving needs to be had in every community. As our driver’s education instructors work to keep us safe while in gear, we need to also know the importance of what to do while in park. In doing so, we can help ensure the safety of everyone while driving.