By CHLOE CITRON
Turning 17 has brought many new opportunities, but the most exciting of all has to be my driver license. Since i passed my road test, I have a new perspective on the road. I never truly realized what it meant to be in the driver’s seat until I got in it.
Driving alone gives you the freedom to go where you want when you want, but it comes with a lot of responsibility as well. A car is not a toy, although some may treat it like one. It isn’t something you can get into and use without knowledge. It can be like a magic wand, but it can also be like a weapon. When driving alone, I always make sure I am safe, especially with other people in my car. I realize now that I am responsible for the safety of the other people in my car and others on the roads. My passengers are putting their lives in my hands by getting in the car with me.
A lot of teenagers do not realize the precautions that must be taken every time they get into a car. Seat belts are a must. Distractions must be kept to a minimum. As a new driver, you may feel invincible. You feel like you will never get pulled over or get into an accident. The harsh reality is that you just might. You never really know what is going to happen while you are out on the road, so you have to be prepared at all times to react quickly.
It boggles my mind how anyone has time to touch a phone while driving. There is literally no point in time during which taking your eyes off the road would be considered safe. You never know what could pop up, what light could change, who could stop short or swerve. It is a scary thought to think that people are looking away from the road to send meaningless text messages with all of the damage that could be caused by their negligence. It is important to me and my passengers that I not have my phone accessible while driving so the temptation isn’t there. Trust me, I am addicted to my phone, but the last place in the world I would think of using it is in the car.
Driving is fun, though! As a new driver of only a few weeks, I already feel more liberated. I can go to my friend’s house if I want to without having to ask someone else to take me and rely on their schedule and interrupt their plans. I can go get ice cream at 10:30 because I feel like it! I can play the music louder than volume level 13 out of 40 (my mother’s preferred level).
I think driving gives you a new lease on life. It makes you almost like a real person. You actually do have to use three-point turns and lane switching in real life. Although, maybe not parallel parking. Drivers Ed really wasn’t a huge waste of my time.
Although I haven’t been on the road for a long time, I really have noticed a difference in the way I perceive the act of driving and the responsibility that comes with it. I now know that in order to be a happy and satisfied driver, you must be safe and responsible.
Chloe,you are amazing and I am not prejudiced……Poppy