caution: student Driver

How Student Drivers Can Be More Aware Of Safety On The Road

How can we persuade teenagers to drive safer? Teenagers have great excitement when they get their driver’s license, which is a significant step towards adulthood. It gives a sense of freedom and tells them they are stepping into the adult world. Driving gives us the power to explore the world, but in order to obtain this power, teens must follow a strict set of laws. Some teenagers would agree that they are fair and keep us safe, but others believe that the laws restrict our freedoms on the road. However, if not used wisely, greater freedom might be a formula for much more evil. Teenagers are particularly affected by reckless driving, which leads to a significant number of traffic accidents. This indicates that juvenile drivers make a number of serious mistakes on the road, including lack of experience, inability to scan for and respond to hazards, and overspeeding in areas with speed limits. “I feel like new drivers aren’t safe at all,’’ Ashton Heath ‘23 states. Many people in society tend to stereotype teenage drivers by labeling them as dangerous and the leading cause of accidents on the road. Unfortunately, this is a very broad and unfair statement, considering that not all teenage drivers are the same.

As teenagers with lots of homework and hectic school schedules, the last thing you want to do is add yet another class to your already busy schedule. You’re excited to learn how to drive, but you don’t want to spend your free time in a classroom, and learning the rules of the road sounds boring, at best. You’re not alone in this sentiment, we’ve all been there, but driver’s ed is a class you don’t want to miss out on. “For me, it was pretty easy cause by the time I took it, I had already been driving for quite a while cause my dad’s a cop and he kinda let me drive wherever,” Matt Drew ’23 adds. By enrolling in driver’s education, you can practice driving while knowing the regulations and safety precautions in advance rather than having to learn them as you go. Being comfortable and naturally able to respond more effectively in challenging driving situations gives you the confidence you need to drive safely.

Because you come to understand the rules of the road, you understand the responsibility you have as a driver to ensure you follow those guidelines and the consequences that come with your actions. “I think phones are like the main thing that distracts drivers. It’s not easy to pay attention to the road when you’re also looking at your phone. Music can completely change your mood. Like if you got some rock on and you’re going crazy with the rock, you might drive a little bit more aggressively. If you’re playing classical music, you might be easier on the gas and you might be more attentive to what’s going on around you,” Henry Roeters ‘23 claims. The information learned in driver’s ed will definitely be applied in the real world as you physically learn to drive because you are more likely to remember the rules of the road, but being distracted on the road doesn’t help with applying these skills.

Owning a car as a teenager can get pretty pricey, since most insurance companies assume teenage drivers are reckless. There are many car insurance companies that actually offer discounts or benefits to teens who take part in a driver’s ed course of some kind. While not every state requires you to enroll in a driver’s ed course, many states do and will actually keep you from obtaining your license until you’ve passed the course and your driver’s test. Now what do they test you on?

“So during the road test, the first thing you’re gonna do is the parking portion. And at least for me, if you don’t complete the parking portion properly, then you’re not gonna be able to go onto the road....You’re done,” Roeters admits. “But if you get the parking stuff done well, then you’re able to move on to the road test.” If you do not succeed on your first try, you can retake the road test. Most states require you to wait a certain number of days or even weeks before you may retest, though you may want to wait longer while you practice your driving skills to make sure you can pass this time. Your test examiner will be able to let you know how long you’ll need to wait. One aspect of driver’s ed classes focuses on driving under the influence. But just being told not to drink or drive may not always be effective. “I know for a fact that like at least 30% of the people that I know that drive have driven under the influence before,” Drew confesses. Driving students are most likely to see devastating videos that show the consequences and destruction caused by driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Some driver’s education courses let law enforcement officials talk about the damage caused by driving under the influence. This way, they will get a better understanding of the dangers of their actions.

Though your parents might think they are the best drivers because of the experience that they have earned, the rules of the road can always change, no matter any driver; everyone can be in an accident. As a matter of fact, teens who do not enroll in a driving school are 75% more likely to violate rules and get a ticket, 24% more likely to be involved in fatal accidents or death, and 16% more likely to get into accidents. You may like to think that road rage is something that only happens to other people; the truth is, many of us are guilty of aggressive behavior on the road. If you find that you have angered another driver, whether the fault is truly yours or not, do not react to the other driver on the road. This will only cause the situation to escalate. “One time I got attacked by a guy because I told him to learn how to park,” Heath adds. Think twice before you honk the horn or flip that finger, because you never know what may set off the person in the cars around you. Getting home safely is more important than teaching someone a dangerous lesson.” They’re not just drivers, they have actual lives. Just because they’re not good at driving...doesn’t mean they’re stupid,” Roeters counters.

Regardless of your age, you must always drive safely and obey all traffic laws. Remember to click it or ticket! //