I don’t know about you, but I couldn’t wait until the day I turned 16 when I could finally ask my mom and dad for the car keys. When I finally took all the driver education courses and passed my road test, I was ecstatic. Driving, for me, meant freedom; it meant independence. Being able to drive on your own is every teenager’s dream and every parent’s nightmare. It can also be a nightmare for other drivers on the roads if you are not careful.
Accept responsibility
Ok, so what you have is a license. Now, you must show the rest of the drivers (who have much more experience than you) that you deserve to keep that license. New drivers (and especially those with more experience) often forget that driving is not a right; it’s a privilege. As soon as you get behind that wheel, you should automatically accept responsibility for your driving actions. When you see aggressive drivers on the roads or people constantly breaking traffic laws, you can be sure that they have long forgotten that driving is a privilege because they are abusing it.
Parental intervention
Just because a teenager attends driver education classes and passes their road test does not mean that they have acquired skills to drive safely. The real test will come when that new driver is behind the wheel for the first time and has to make decisions for himself. Good defensive driving is a combination of good driving skills, as well as good attitudes and decision making. That is why it is important for parents to sit down with their children before going to driver’s education, after they have completed driver’s education, and even once in a while, just to remind them of the importance of being a smart driver.
Most new drivers are teenagers, and sometimes when you’re young you tend to want to show off to your friends. Well, the road is not a place to do it. If you know that your friends are going to distract you while you are driving, limit the number of people riding your vehicle while you are driving it. Other things to keep in mind include:
Cool car: If you are lucky enough to choose the car you drive, don’t always go for the “cool car”, choose one that has good safety features. Parents should help in this decision.
No Drinking: Never allow ANYONE to consume alcoholic beverages in your vehicle while driving, especially you!
Night driving: avoid driving at night when it is not necessary. Most accidents tend to happen at night and while you are driving well; it is not known what other driver he is not.
Know the statistics. Every year, more people die from vehicle-related injuries in the United States. Practice defensive driving all the time and encourage your friends to do the same. Driving can be an extremely rewarding experience if you do it wisely!
