Community's Role in Teen Driver Training

All too often, we hear of young drivers injured or killed in what are considered avoidable accidents. Usually, the cause is excessive speed or no seatbelts. The community typically offers two reactions: heartfelt condolence and finger pointing.

While condolences are appropriate, I find the finger pointing hypocritical. It is all too easy to blame the parents for not giving proper instruction. It is easy to blame the police for not patrolling rural areas enough. It is easy to blame the county for not making the roads safe enough. However, no one considers how their own driving habits influence our young drivers.

Last Fall, I began giving my own daughter driving lessons. We started with the requirement of driving 5mph under the speed limit. If you think this is unreasonable, then you are part of the problem. On the other hand, if you think this is a reasonable, then try it some time. During our driving lessons, we were tailgated relentlessly, honked at, flipped off, cursed, and illegally passed. I’ll add that driving lessons were always at off peak driving times. These problems did not go away when she was allowed to drive the speed limit. Offenders were both young and old alike. There is no doubt in my mind that the community shares the responsibility in pressuring our young drivers to drive faster.

Seatbelts follow the same rule. Do you require everyone in your vehicle to wear them (children, friends, and your boss)? Do you wear them when no one is looking? Look around at other drivers and you will find as a whole, the emphasis is just not there. It is not there until there is a tragedy. When tragedy does occur, then we blame the victims for their irresponsible actions.

Truth be known, the community shares responsibility in these tragedies for teaching new drivers bad habits through the example of aggressive driving. The youth in our community get the wrong message when they see other drivers tailgate, drive 50mph on an unmarked 35mph rural road, or try to pass two more cars before squeezing onto the I-85 entrance ramp.

Not only is the young one in your vehicle learning from your driving habits, but other drivers around you are also influenced by the way you drive. Ask yourself this question: Do you really want someone with a few months of driving experience to follow your example?