“I just got my license!” “I hope I don’t fail my permit test.” “Don’t crash!” are all common refrains heard at Berkeley High School (BHS) as students approach a significant milestone in their young lives: getting behind the wheel. Teenagers get to stare straight into their first real glimpse of freedom; their first true moments of complete independence. Getting a driver's license can be exciting for teenagers craving self sufficiency. With that privilege, however, there is a lot that can go wrong, very quickly.
For a typical student driver, the journey to a license doesn’t begin with actually driving, or even being in a car. It starts with having to take a permit test, which can steer many possible drivers away before they can even begin.
“I remember being nervous for my permit test,” Kavi Jivan, a BHS junior, said. “I just knew so many people who failed it, and I didn’t want that to be me too.”
Like Jivan, many are apprehensive to even attempt the test. “I’ve had my permit test scheduled for months now, and I just don’t want to do it,” BHS junior Aarushi Bhandari said, “It’s not just me, I know many people who have been putting it off for up to a year.”
However, for those that do take and pass the test, the real fun begins. Actually driving at first can be nerve-racking and daunting. Teens are unsure what will happen when they actually get on the road, and one wrong move could result in an accident.
For Simone Zabarsky, a BHS junior, driving brought on many mixed emotions. “I definitely got my license on the early side and it was a lot of fun at first,” she said. She began driving cautiously, like many, especially with her permit. “Having your parents in the car is an easy way to catch any mistake before it gets too bad,” Zabarsky said.
Consequently, Zabarsky mentioned that once permits are out and licenses are in, the dynamic that teenagers have with driving shifts.
“I’ve driven with people who are newer to getting their licenses, (and) it can be kind of concerning,” Zabarsky said, mentioning that people tend to drive recklessly and carelessly knowing that they have full freedom. With the absence of parental supervision, the ways of the road sometimes float right over students' heads. “I’ve heard about some pretty questionable driving that has led to some bad accidents,” Zabarsky said.
While driving does come with its responsibilities, it can also be one of the greatest achievements in a highschool student’s day-to-day activities.
“That feeling of picking up your friends for the first time, especially if you’re the first friend with a license, is so awesome,” Jivan said, “You can just feel so in control-- it’s really cool.”
For many teenage drivers, the best part of their newfound freedom is the social aspect. Being able to pick up friends, appear cooler to younger peers, and fit in with older peers is an exciting time for anyone.
This was especially the case for BHS senior Yanir Charney-Weintraub. He had been looking forward to getting his license for a long time, and knew of the risks and responsibilities that he would have to face. He’s had his license for quite some time and had felt comfortable on the road for many months.
“I take driving seriously and I try to be very careful,” Charney-Weintraub said. “I did, however, get into a very unfortunate accident.”
For him, it was just a normal day driving, when all of the sudden he got hit by a speeding car. “I got hit by someone who was in a high speed chase with the police,” Charney-Weintraub said.
The driver was going around 70 miles per hour, ran a red light, and t-boned his car. He was driving alone and wasn’t too badly injured, but his car was totaled, which was an extreme inconvenience to him and his family.
Accidents like this do not happen very often to teen drivers, but it does illustrate how dangerous driving can be, even for safe drivers.
“The accident taught me that I always need to be vigilant about my surroundings when I’m driving and how important it is to drive defensively. I’m honestly just glad it wasn’t worse,” Charney-Weintraub said. “I know plenty of kids my age who have gotten into much worse accidents for different reasons, like driving intoxicated and things like that.”
There is a fine line between responsible driving and more fun but risky driving. It’s important for BHS students to remember that driving is a privilege and a responsibility, not only a fun activity.