A Privilege, Not a Right

A
Privilege, Not a Right

Driving
is a privilege, not a right; the two terms are often presumed to be
synonymous, but that is not the case. A driver’s license can be
taken away from you on account of reckless behavior or
irresponsibility exhibited behind the wheel. Teenagers are the most
at-risk age group to get into car accidents, and it makes sense.
Picture when you got your license: you’re 16 and all you can think
about is how excited you are to pick up your friends and drive
somewhere with them. You think of the windows down, the music
blaring, one hand on the steering wheel as you take selfies of you
and your friends having fun in your car. New drivers tend to overlook
not only the implications that distracted driving can have, but also
what qualifies as a distraction. This is where drivers ed
proves to be crucial; a new, educated driver would know to never
touch their phones, keep music off and windows up, and to focus all
attention on the road. Stressing the importance of absorbing the
lessons taught in drivers ed courses ensures the safety of
all drivers, new and old.

This
being said, simply taking the course isn’t always enough. It takes
reminders and encouragement from family members, friends, and other
prominent members of a driver’s life to keep their driving habits
in line. The passengers in a car also have some responsibility in the
safety of their ride. It is important that they respect the driver’s
need for focus, and if they see them practicing an unsafe habit, that
they stop them. For example, if your friend is driving, and they
receive a text message that they start to check, the right thing to
do is to remind them that the text can wait until they arrive at
their destination or offer to read and respond to the text for them.
It is also incredibly important to keep in mind that teenagers and
new drivers are not the only people who are susceptible to distracted
driving. I have many friends who have experienced car accidents due
to a distracted driver that was an adult on the phone, or simply not
looking where they were going. They have been injured, their cars
totalled, all because one person simply could not wait to respond to
their phone.

In
order for us to be safe and responsible drivers, it is important to
remember to focus on the road and not be distracted by anything
inside or outside the vehicle. Eliminating potential distractors is
key to safe driving. However safe driving isn’t entirely ensured by
the driver — it is also crucial that passengers are respectful and
diligent in keeping each other’s behavior and the driver’s in
check. If your friend is about to do something irresponsible while
behind the wheel, speak up! It’s only your life at stake.