At the age of 16 and up, the world opens like a highway with each lane representing different possibilities and adventures. For many, this age brings the privileges of newfound freedom, independence and the desired driver’s license. But what about those of us, myself included, who have yet to get our license? Those who are not too enthused about starting driver’s ed? I have a great solution for getting around, my dad and friends. Maybe that is why driver’s ed is not is not my thing, but it varies for others.
I have friends who started driver’s ed right away. A 10th grade student, Resse Martin said, “I got my license right away and started driver’s ed as soon as possible”.
But Martin’s reasoning was not strictly for her own wants but to help those around her. “Being able to get a license helped out my family, since I have a lot of siblings. Having my licenses meant I didn’t have to rely on others or bother people for rides,” Martin said.
It is a relief for her not to be dependent on others for transportation anymore, being able to explore and commute at her own pace. Eliza Brown could not agree more. She shared the motivation to get her license: “To get to where I wanted to be when I wanted to be. If I wanted to go to a friend’s house, I didn’t have to walk or I didn’t have to ask someone to drive me,” Brown said.
When talking to Martin and Brown, I found myself reflecting on the possible reasons why some of us, including myself, seem to be dragging our feet when it comes to enrolling in driver’s ed and taking the plunge into the world of driving. Why wouldn’t I and others want to feel that independence and freedom by driving?
Christina Jones, a Groves 11th grade student, said her challenges in taking driver’s ed were her schedule. Jones has extracurriculars that are difficult to reschedule to accommodate driver’s education, with three hour rehearsals after school every day and 12-hour long speech tournaments on the weekends.
Maybe a combination of the pressure we feel as students to keep our grades up, extracurriculars and college admissions prevents us from getting our license. Another student I spoke with, Sylvie Ball, spoke about having anxiety about driver’s ed and taking the final test.
“I was really nervous to drive whenever I was with other people practicing driving. I would get really nervous because I didn’t wanna make any mistakes in front of my dad or mom or my siblings,” Ball said.
Her worries are ones that other teens relate to as well. I personally feel and relate to that anxiety. Our generation of students has had more challenges with anxiety than generations past. Maybe it is a result of a variety of causes, from Covid-19 and being in lockdown to social media.
I was interested in whether driving was really everything that ambitious drivers anticipated and talked of. When I asked Abram Benaim, a 17-year old who waited to start driving, he said driving caused a few concerns.
“It’s an accomplishment and it becomes important as you get older and have more places you need to go,” Benaim said.
Despite that, Benaim opens up about his worries.
“I have a fear that something will happen on the road. That my parents won’t be around for, to be able to help me in those situations,” Benaim said.
Even though you can be confident in your driving, and can never be sure about others. Always pay attention to yourself; Make sure you are going the speed limit, using your signals, and checking your mirrors. Martin and Brown couldn’t agree more, that there are things that you can not control but you will need to learn how to respond to them. That can include weather conditions, passengers, and bad drivers who share the road.
All types of drivers and those becoming drivers know that driving is not just about hitting the road, it comes with a bunch of extra responsibilities as well. Driving would seem to be the next step in that big push toward adulting but is not necessary. There are abundant pros and cons that we each need to weigh that help us decide how we want to move forward. Put our foot on the gas, or maybe not.
