Being Safe as a Student Driver: What You Need to Know

Lily Bugg, Reporter

One of the many wonders of high school- learning to drive. It’s part of becoming an adult. Learning to operate a vehicle safely is key to being part of an on-the-move society. You may need to drive to school or to work. It’s scary at first, but it simply becomes routine after a little while. The first full year of driving is, arguably, the one where you learn the most. You start to learn how to be alert without being nervous, and about the type of driver you are. You may be the one who always goes a little under the speed limit, or a little over. You also experience the weather conditions more hands-on during this time. You’re going to drive in rain, wind, sleet, and snow. The roads may be wet or icy, and you learn how to be patient and take your time when travelling to your destination. 

 

Cars don’t drive themselves; people drive them. Some people have road rage, which is where you get very angry with other drivers while on the road. Some people don’t pay attention and go wherever they want without regard for others and their safety, and some don’t always drive sober. Do you think driving is scary? Well, driving itself is easy once you get the hang of it, but then the other drivers are what you need to watch out for. So, in other words, trusting other drivers can be scary. 

 

When asked the question, “What were your thoughts when learning how to drive,” there are some extremely varied answers. “I always talked out loud to myself, walked myself through situations I wasn’t fully comfortable in yet,” said 40-year-old Kelli Sharp, “I still do it, just to calm my nerves.” 

 

Going on to ask college students, one responded with, “I was nervous about other kids my age not caring about what they were doing, as bad as that sounds. I just didn’t trust anybody on the road. 

 

There’s a certain stigma around teenagers being drivers, because we are usually known for being rude, unaware, and perhaps reckless. We go through different tests, restrictions, licenses, all of it, so then why are drivers aged 16-19 three times more likely to get into car accidents? It’s due to inexperience, and not realizing how dangerous driving on the road really is. How can we help this? We simply need to raise awareness about it and ensure that new drivers understand the precautions. 1 out of 4 accidents are caused by being on a mobile device while driving, so be sure that your phone is put away.

 

Now that it’s established how for you to be responsible, what else do you need to be aware of as a new driver? Well, when driving for long periods of time, always “scan” the road. This means to keep your eyes moving back and forth, from one side to the other. This can prevent hitting animals like deer, raccoons, possums, etc. The car lights reflect off of their eyes, so you can see a shine. This also protects you from something called “road hypnosis.” Road hypnosis is described by people as “not being able to recall driving or being aware of your actions as you’re driving for long periods of time.” It’s important to be aware, just in case something unexpected happens as you’re driving.

 

When driving at night, and other cars are passing you, and their headlights impair your vision, look at the white line on the outer right side of the road. This helps you stay in the lane and see where you are, while not looking straight at the other cars coming. Headlights usually do the most damage when they come in groups, so maybe one or two cars won’t hurt, but if there’s a group of them, keep your eye on the line. 

 

What are some other helpful tips? For driving in the winter, always be aware. Use your brights at night, just so you can see any ice on the road. Give yourself a space cushion when driving behind other cars, this means to stay a good distance behind the car in front of you. This can prevent rear-ending and other accidents. 

 

If you’re tired when driving, you can pull over in a safe place, and sleep for 30 or so minutes. Falling asleep while driving is very, very dangerous and preventable. Road hypnosis can also make you drowsy, this points out another reason why scanning the road is so crucial to your safety. Do your best to keep your mind alert and your eyes moving on and surrounding the road.

 

Driving is something we all do at some point in our lives, but that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be taken seriously. Vehicle accidents are the top cause of death for healthy citizens in the U.S. There are over 40,000 accidents every year, and 90 Americans die every day due to unsafe driving. Inexperience and unawareness are the leading causes of dangerous accidents, which is why it is so important to constantly be aware of what you’re doing, and your surroundings.