Ok, so teenage drivers. You've no doubt heard all the stereotypical crap about how teenagers are such horrible drivers and how the age of being able to drive should be pushed back. Well, from experience, I know some of that's true. Friends who drove recklessly, fellow students who floor it past me in the parking lots, idiots who hit my car because they're not paying attention... The majority I've seen is in the younger drivers.
However, there are older drivers who suck just as much.
For example, I was sick in bed a few days before Christmas a few years back. I let my mom borrow my car so she could run up to the convenience store. It was 30 degrees outside and her heater didn't work right. She was parked. She was getting out of the car, when this moron next to her, a man in his late 30's, went into reverse and slammed into the right side of the car. Fortunately, my mom was not hurt. This idiot immediately goes into the typical 'Oh! I'm sorry! Are you ok!? Please don't call the cops! I'll pay for it!'
Yeah. So my mom called the cops anyway. Basically what had happened was that the guy had his wheels turned so sharply that when he reversed he wound up going into the side of the car. Anyway, after mom called the cops, the guys starts flipping out on her saying he's going to tell the cops it was her fault and she caused it.
Lemme tell you something about my mom. She was 60 years old at the time this happened. This guy was threatening that he would lie to the cops and he was being rather aggressive. I don't care who the hell you are, you don't threaten a 60 year old woman. Despite having the flu, I was ready to take my wooden sword, go up there and kick his ass. So the next call goes to my dad (who told me what happened) who hauls ass up there so my mom isn't alone with him. The cop arrives and determines it was his fault. You know how he knew it was the moron's fault? The moron forgot to turn his wheels so that it would look like he DIDN'T cause it. They forgot to put the brain (and common decency) in this one. So the moron, unable to dispute against it gives the cop his insurance card and all that. We call the claim he gave us and surprise, surprise... he's driving without insurance, which might I add is illegal in Florida. Now, I also have a problem with our local authority because of this. Despite my mom calling the cops about it, they didn't do a damn thing! And my car has a dent in the right side door as a result.
Ok. Now that I've gotten the adult driver outta the way, let's move onto a scenario with a teenager. Three days before my birthday, I was heading to my boyfriend's house. I'm driving down a road where the speed limit is 50 mph, and there are three lanes on both sides (oncoming and going traffic) of the road. The only dividers were some grassy medians that were separated by the intersection at the light. Now, at the light is a pregnant woman in a mini SUV and she is getting ready to turn. Coming up behind her is a little white Dodge Neon with a 17 year old girl in it. I'm next to her in my Grand Marquis, and the two of us are going 50 mph. I'm cruising along, just like any other day when suddenly SLAM! CRASH! I'm sideswiped by the girl in the white Neon. Still dazed, I pull over into one of the grassy medians and find that my front passenger door has been dented to the point where the door won't open. Also my mirror on that side has been broken.
Cops are called, and I see the girl in the Neon get out. I ask if she's ok, and she says she is. So the cops show up along with the fire department and an ambulance. We're all checked out, except for the pregnant woman who had to go to the hospital for a bump on the head, just as a precaution since she was pregnant. He asks what the hell happened, and the girl starts talking. I couldn't believe my damn ears. This idiot was looking at her damn GPS while she was driving! Now, I'm not ripping on GPS's, they're great, BUT YOU DON'T NEED TO BE LOOKING AT ONE WHEN SOMEONE IS GETTING READY TO TURN IN FRONT OF YOU AND YOUR BARRELING DOWN THE ROAD GOING 50 MPH! You need to be paying attention to the damn person and making sure she's not still there when you are almost there! Basically, she looked down at her GPS, and looked up to see the lady in the mini SUV hadn't turned and tried to swerve out of the way. This is when she hit me, and then subsequently took out the back left of the woman's mini SUV. The Neon was TRASHED beyond repair. It's a wonder that she wasn't either dead or injured in some manner. Someone was looking out for all of us that day.
I believe anyone with a damn vehicle is a possible danger. Not just teenagers. Sure they have the most statistics in accidents, but they're not the only morons on the road. I almost got hit by some moron in a black Hummer on my way home on Saturday because he didn't see I was coming, and then morons in parking garages don't look when they're pulling out. It's the concept of not paying attention that's an issue. Remove the interruptions and you'll have less accidents. Manufacturers, make it so that GPS machines won't work unless you're in park or something, so you're not looking down at it while driving. Pay attention in what you're doing. The mirrors are there for a damn reason. Use them so you don't hit anyone. On the first day of my class this semester one of my teachers was late because someone backed into her. The bitch didn't stop, even though my teacher was pounding on her window and yelling for her to. She just rolled her eyes and drove off. Fortunately, she was ok.
If you're finding yourself distracted, remove said distraction. If someone calls your cell phone, let it go to voice mail. If you have a GPS, pull over at a gas station and use it there. Or just pay attention! If that first moron had noticed his wheels were turned like they were, my car would only have ONE dent in the side.
You never know what paying attention will prevent in life. So just do it. It's not hard.
