by Devin Sanford

“I am boring.” “I don’t like the radio.” “I drive like a grandma.” “Both hands on the steering wheel…. really?!” “Why do you drive the speed limit”? I have heard them all! Hi, my name is Devin Sanford and as you have read, I am not one to entertain many visitors in my car. Not because my friends do not consider me a fun guy. They just think I am too reserved when I drive. When asked what a driving impairment is, the common examples that come to mind include the following: driving under the influence, multi-tasking, rubber necking, talking, or texting while driving even when using a hands-free device. Though these are all examples of driving impairments, the list of quotes shared above should not be left out. The idea of peer pressure can be misunderstood just as well as the examples provided. Impairment is linked to any person, place, or thing that shifts your focus away from driving; even for a second. Driver’s education &/or traffic schools are great resources in the moment. Most people are on their best behavior when those in authority are present. I would guess that most traffic accidents do not occur in the presence of your favorite driver’s education teacher!

I am a first-year college student and the commute to college from my home is 4 to 5 hours. My dad reminds me all the time that while I am away at college, have fun but keep your wits about you. Never get yourself out of control. Take a beat, even for a second and evaluate where you are and what is going on. Those three words, “take a beat” sticks with me. I have been in the presence of people who must blow into a device to crank up the car. My own father fell asleep with me and my mom in the car coming home from church one afternoon because of fatigue (I was in a car seat but they tell that story regularly). We ended up on the other side of the highway facing on-coming traffic. The takeaway is that whether impairment is self-inflicted intoxication or lack of rest due to a newborn, all roads potentially lead to unsafe driving.

When I was a senior in high school, several classmates found themselves behind the wheel. An incident involving one of my classmates comes to mind that highlights multiple levels of impaired driving. This guy is driving his parent’s car traveling at a high rate of speed through a neighborhood. He was goofing around while driving and swiped a parked car. Did he stop, access the damage, or let his parents know? Heaven’s no! He proceeds to continue driving too fast as now he is nervous about what just happened. He loses control of the car and takes out a mailbox at a different house. Did he stop, access the damage, or let his parents know? Heaven’s no! Next thing he knows, he is off in someone’s yard tearing up the lawn, then boom, he hits a parked truck and takes out part of someone’s garage! And now, he has no choice but to tell his parents. I told my dad that evening what happened, and he said never once did the kid take a beat to stop and think before he had the next incident. If he had stopped after the first incident and told his parents, it would not have been as bad as it ended up being. So, it is important that if you find yourself in a hole, stop digging! My friend dug that hole so deep for himself, he may still be working to dig himself out! I do not need those types of problems. Ten and two by the speed limit works for me.

Driver’s education and traffic school courses are under-represented resources today, or at least where I am from. When I learned to drive, there was no driving course offered at my school. No physical driving test was required at the DMV. If you passed the written exam and your parents signed the form stating you know how to drive, a license would be granted. My dad was the primary driving teacher but around Thanksgiving 2023 he suffered an accident involving stairs and ended up tearing tendons in both knees. He was bedridden for several months and in rehab for several more. My driving timetable was accelerated since we had one less driver available. I ended up having to drive on my own sooner than anticipated. Had there been driver’s education offered at my school, the burden of gaining more driving experience would not have weighed so heavily. There were a few independent traffic school programs in the city, however the costs were not affordable. In essence, I had to learn patience, other driver’s tendencies, changing road conditions, time management and a host of other attributes that would all be gained by participating in a driver’s education course. Also, I understand that insurances give discounts to students who participate in a traffic course. Everybody wins.

When my friends decide to pick at me about my driving, I let them know that I am one of the few teen drivers at school without an accident. My parents say I drive like I bought the car myself and continue being the boring driver that you are. I am amazed at how many times I have been with friends with car trouble who never think of calling an adult to assist. I will call my parents in a heartbeat. I will call my parents when it is someone else in need. It seems cut and dry to me, but I am boring. I do drive like a grandma. I am extremely cautious when I drive with both hands on the steering wheel. I do slow down when I see children playing a little too close to the road. Driving is a responsibility…a privilege instead of a means of entertainment.

Turn off the music of life; take a beat. And safe travels.