By Makaila Cheung
The age in which a teenager can obtain their driver’s license is at a mere 16 years old. Surely they have to pass a test, both written and performed, in order to receive it. There are both younger and older people that drive offensively, resulting in accidents. Driving offensively means to constantly be rushing or trying to get somewhere as fast as possible. Clearly, this is very dangerous. In addition, road rage happens when a driver cannot keep their anger under control if they feel that the cars around them drive incorrectly. One thing to remember when driving is that you should always drive defensively. This can avoid road rage in both you and the cars around you. There are a few things that should be remembered when driving in order to sidestep accidents.
- First, the car only has to be relatively centered. Constantly focusing on the car being exactly in the middle is risky because the cars behind and in front of you do not know what you are doing.
- Second, on the highway, you should always slowly move when switching lanes and make sure your blinkers are on. This signals other cars that you are going to move lanes, lowering risk for crashes. Also, slowly inching towards the lane you’d like to drive in gives you time to move back into your previous lane if needed.
- Third, be aware of your surroundings and never have your phone out when driving. Texting and driving seems to be an immense issue regarding accidents on the road. Many people may feel the need to check social media when driving, putting themselves and others at risk. Keep phones and other electronics away. An alternative is to set a specific emergency ringtone. If you need to pick up your phone on the road, pull to the side and do so.
Click below to view a page about texting & driving from our Police Are Our Friends Activity Book: