When I was fifteen years old and first learning how to drive, it was one of the scariest and most frustrating parts of my life thus far (and my dad’s, haha). It just did not immediately click for me. I was super angry that you HAD to learn how to drive to have a normal life. I was angry that the US doesn’t really have subway systems (unless you live in a large city). We don’t have trains, buses, trolleys, or anything like that. And things are too far apart to really walk or bike anywhere. However, I did eventually learn how to drive, and since then it’s become second nature. I’ve never been in an accident or gotten a ticket, and I know how to get to places quickly and safely. The best advice I got when I was learning how to drive was:
-Always keep your eyes moving. Look at the road in front of you. Check your speedometer. Check your rear view mirror. Make sure you know what’s going on in the lanes beside you. Look back at the road in front of you. Be aware of everything.
-Don’t let anything distract you while you’re driving. Don’t fiddle with the radio, text, or anything else that makes you lose concentration. NEVER drink and drive. (My dad was in a car accident in his 20s. He got in the car with his friend, who was drunk, and they wrecked. His friend was fine, but my dad was in the hospital for months. He still walks with a cane and had to get his hip replaced. He always told me that if I ever got drunk and needed a way home, he would come get me, and that I wouldn’t get in trouble. I never needed it, since I didn’t drink as a teenager. Now that I’m an adult, I have always had a Designated Driver, since he pretty much drilled into my skull how dangerous drunk driving is.)
-Always leave yourself an out. If an emergency situation comes up, are you able to get away quickly? At a stop light, don’t be right up on the other person’s bumper. Leave yourself some room.
-If it’s raining and your windshield wipers are on, your headlights needs to be on. Drive slower in the rain.
-You are behind the wheel of a solid metal, two ton death machine. Car accidents are the number one killer of teenagers in America. All it takes is one second of being distracted, and you could kill or injure yourself or someone else.
Most of these tips are from my dad (the scary ones, haha), but I picked up a few from driver’s ed. If your child is learning to drive, feel free to tell them any of these! It’s okay to scare them a little bit, since driving can be a scary thing. It’s important that they understand how much of a responsibility it is, and how to handle a car safely.
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