The Quirks of Driving
Parul Arora, Staff Reporter
Summer is coming up, and with summer comes a whole new set of accomplishments to meet. With over half the school over the age of 16, it is necessary to address one thing a lot of 16 year olds look forward to: driving. It's a wonderful thing to know how to drive. It stops becoming wonderful once you misuse a privilege that you've gotten based upon agreed premises: safety rules and regulations.
Of course, I've heard the common "Oh you've gotten your driver's licence? Better keep clear of the road then". Hilarious. So much, in fact, that I forgot to laugh. While driving habits can be joked about, it can be quite unfortunate if one is put in a position to have the last laugh. If you do value your life, and your own insurance premium (which, I can safely say is coming straight out of your parents' pockets), it is best that you follow the rules of your G1 or G2 license, and practice safer driving habits.
Of course, I've heard the common "Oh you've gotten your driver's licence? Better keep clear of the road then". Hilarious. So much, in fact, that I forgot to laugh. While driving habits can be joked about, it can be quite unfortunate if one is put in a position to have the last laugh. If you do value your life, and your own insurance premium (which, I can safely say is coming straight out of your parents' pockets), it is best that you follow the rules of your G1 or G2 license, and practice safer driving habits.
There are quite a few things you can do if you want to live until the ripe old age of *insert number*, especially in the driving department.
- Invest in education:
Education is considered a long-term investment. Find a driving school that's right for you. You may need to do a bit of Google searching for a driving school that matches your pocket and fits your schedule. If you take a driving course, the instructors will cover the basics (and more!) for you. You may also end up getting a deduction on your insurance premium. Your parents will be happy, and you'll learn how to drive well too.
Now many of you readers out there may not know what an insurance premium is, so to keep things short, it's a price you have to pay your insurance company to keep yourself insured in the case of an accident. Now let's think for a minute: insurance companies base their premiums off a variety of factors including age and driving record. Since newer drivers don't have mature driving records, they get 0 points for insurance premium decreases. Key in the fact that teenagers and young adults are considered the most impulsive and rash drivers (though, arguably, one can say otherwise) and you have yourself a cost of about $150-$250 - A MONTH. Investing in driver's ed can help you drive better, build a clean record (if you actually end up practicing what you learn), and tack off around 10% of your insurance premium.
Other key things to note include:
- Know what to do in the case of an accident, and always have a spare tire and first aid kit on you.
- Don't drive irrationally, don't flip anyone the bird, and don't flash your headlights if you don't need to.
- Don't pull a Justin Bieber. Driving under the influence is not funny, and definitely isn't safe, for you and for others on the road.
- You're not the first driver to ever drive on the road, and you're not the last. You're not above the law. Thus, you are not, in any way, superior to others on the road. It doesn't matter if you drive a neon yellow Porsche (and if you do, in Markham, bad choice sweetheart), or a grey Honda Civic.
- Be mindful of other road users.
- Look at the Ontario driving regulation website for details on when you can and cannot drive, and who you can have in the car with you.
- Do not drive without insurance (how many times do I need to say this?)
- Chuck that cell phone to the back of the car. Do not text and drive. You might be a great multi-tasker, but no one who has excessively texted and driven at the same time ever lived to tell the tale.
- Look both ways before, well, doing anything. One thing people often overlook when trying to keep something 100% foolproof, is the ingenuity of fools (and children, but they're basically the same thing). Children will run out onto the road, perhaps chuck a football right in the middle of the street or do something equally as infuriating. Watch out for non-children too; sometimes they'll do things just as bad, like cross a road with their headphones blasting loud music so that they are by consent- completely unaware of their surroundings (death wish? Maybe.) Keep your eyes open and scan the road.
- Make sure you have the necessary documents covering insurance and other manufacturer related information somewhere in your car, should the need arise for you to refer to them.
I personally feel that it's necessary for me to insert a "and lastly, have fun!". But no, having fun whilst driving shouldn't be at the top of your list. That being said, drive safe, drive well, and soak up as much sun as you can.