By Patti Hermes - Parent to Parent
I first got my driver's license 30 years ago. I know, that seems like such a long time ago, way back before cell phones and texting were distracting drivers all over the place. So I didn't learn to drive with a phone in one hand, instead I held my coffee cup in one hand because there were no cup holders, either.
Seriously, drivers have always been distracted, and holiday time is one of life's biggest distractions, and the absolute worst time to try out new driving skills. Yet every year there's a new crop of inexperienced teen drivers, out running errands for their parents, driving themselves to school and activities, and generally taking on more responsibility in their families. Yes, this is a good thing for teens and their parents! But make sure your teen is ready for the responsibility, and you can rest easy while you send them out for cranberry sauce.
My driving test was on a cold November afternoon, in busy downtown rush hour traffic, and a light snow. That was no problem for me, since I had some practice. But most teens, especially ones who've been driving all summer, have no idea how the weather can affect road conditions. Nor do they appreciate how any of it affects their ability to stop, or any other driver's ability to stop as they cut in front of them.
When you, as the parent, are filling out the log of driving hours, don't just add up daytime vs nighttime driving. Check out as many different road conditions as you can, such as light rain, driving rain, early morning drive-to-school time, evening rush hour, fog, and leave some room for winter driving still to come. And when it comes, make sure you go out and instruct them on how to deal with it, together. Even after they get their license, practice, practice, practice, so you'll both feel better about your teen's driving skills.
You don't hear much about it, but one of the most dangerous aspects of driving, and this goes for ALL drivers, is impatience. Even the most laid-back drivers can get impatient waiting for a clean break in what seems like endless traffic, in order to take a quick left turn. With all the holiday shopping and activities, there seems to be much more traffic on the roads this time of year, and more traffic leads to more delays which leads to more impatience. And possibly, more accidents.
Since you're not always going to be sitting in the passenger seat, reminding your new teen driver to be patient, you can put a reminder in the car. I don't remember where we got the idea, but back when I was a new driver, my parents put a wobbly Peanuts character, Woodstock, stuck to the dash just off the side of the steering wheel so that it would always be in view. (Any bobble-head would work here, too) Written in clear black letters across his belly was “ICKY” … Impatience Can Kill You.
Sure that's a strong message, but after four years of ICKY traveling with me between home and college six hours away, it's imprinted on my brain, even today, nearly 30 years later. And my many traveling companions from those years went on to adopt their own ICKYs when they got their own cars. And you can bet ICKY will be back in my car, when my first teen driver gets behind the wheel.
So be careful while driving this holiday season, and be patient. Even if you're not the parent of any teen drivers this season, you most likely will be sooner than you think. And a safe holiday is a happy holiday.
