I remember when I had just gotten my driver's license. I was 17 and I felt such a surge of freedom that came with this small 3 by 2 inch piece of plastic. I took the keys to my parents cars and drove off to my friend’s house. She was impressed, of course, as I came in swinging the keys nonchalantly around my finger. After it got dark, I decided it to drive home. I got in the car, turned the lights one notch so they would be on and started driving home. At a red light, a car pulled up next to me, with a guy (probably in his early 20s). He looked over at me in my car and smiled. Clearly, I looked a lot older and sexier in the driver’s seat. He rolled down his window, gesturing to talk to me. Oh boy, I thought, here we go, I am going to get hit on by a hot guy in his 20s.
“Hey,” he grinned.
“Hey,” I said, smiling back.
“Uh...your lights aren’t on all the way, the dims are the only ones that are on”.
The light turned green and he drove away.
I fumbled, frantically turning on the lights. My face felt hot and probably looked like a ripe tomato. I was so embarrassed.
The lesson I took away from this was that I, as a young, new driver, still needed to act cautiously and be very aware of my driving. So for all you young, new drivers out there, here is just a little advice on how to be a very safe and aware teen driver:
MINIMIZE DISTRACTIONS
This is so crucial when driving. Anything that can distract you while you’re driving, like music, friends (yes, friends can be distracting while driving), and PHONES, needs to be put aside. Don’t listen to the radio so loudly, ask your friends to not be too loud or rowdy in your car, and put the phone AWAY. Seriously, looking at your phone, even for a second can distract enough so much from the road and lead to a fatal accident. Drivers who text and drive are just as dangerous as drivers who drink and drive.
TURN ON YOUR LIGHTS
Sometimes we think that we only need to have our lights on when it’s dark out, but having your headlights on during the day can increase the visibility of your car to other drivers. Switching headlights on during rainy, snowy, or foggy weather is also important because it increases how well you can see and how well others can see you.
BE EXTRA CAREFUL IN PARKING LOTS
So many accidents happen in parking lots, especially high school parking lots. People are rushing and trying to get out of school as fast as they can and sometimes they don’t look when backing up or pulling out of the parking space. You can avoid accidents in parking lots by driving extra slow, always glancing behind you, or even having a friend help by telling you if cars are coming or not.
TAKE A CHILL PILL
In today’s society, we are rushing around from one activity to the next and it can be tempting to put the pedal to the metal as soon as we get in the car in order to quickly get to wherever we need to be next. However, speeding is not the best way to get somewhere fast. Trust me, you do not want to get a ticket for speeding when you are in your teens. Those records, even though they are “just” speeding tickets, stay on file forever. So chill out when you are driving. If you run into bad traffic, don’t try to speed around the other cars but try to be patient. Even if you’re running late, remember, it’s better to be late than in an accident.
Well friends, please take extra precautions when your parents hand you the keys. Don’t put you or anyone else in danger. Now, go out there, feel the freedom of driving by yourself and STAY SAFE.
What are your thoughts, tips, or questions on safe driving as a teenager?
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