There are always those people out on the roads who make driving hazardous. They can be all sorts of people, ranging from those with a death wish who text and drive to those Audi and BMW-driving douchebags who can't figure out how to use turn signals (c'mon guys, it's not that hard.) And as a teenager, your driving skills and instincts haven't fully developed yet, making it even more dangerous for us when around those idiots. Now, this isn't abstinence-only sex ed; I am not drilling in to your head that you shouldn't do what you want to do (and that, of course, is to drive). In fact, this is the Health Information Project* of driving.
As I mentioned before, teenagers generally don't have fully-developed driving instincts and skills. In addition, teenagers have a bad reputation for being a little reckless (individuals between 15 and 20 years old may only account for 6.7% of the total driving population but are involved in 20% of all motor vehicle crashes and 14% of all motor vehicle-related deaths), and these two traits force insurance companies to raise rates drastically when a teen is added to his or her family's car insurance plan.
Generally speaking, when an individual is involved in a car crash or gets a ticket, their insurance rates do tend to go up slightly. However, when a teen is involved, those rates can go up much more, and it could be only a matter of time before your parents literally cannot afford to let you drive legally. However, there is protection out there, and although it may not be effective 100% of the time, it, combined with defensive driving habits, can help you stay out of trouble with those hazardous halfwits, your insurance company, and your local authorities.
Dashcams
Let's say you're driving down the highway, cruising along at the speed limit of 65 miles per hour. But suddenly, you notice a car in the acceleration lane dodge in front of you without indication. You slam on the brakes, trying to scrub off almost 30 miles per hour in an amount of distance that proves to be too little. You punch into the back of the Corolla, deploying the airbags in your face. As you limp the smoking, steaming chunk of metal that was your car over to the side of the road, you realize that your insurance rates are about to go up immensely, especially because you ran into the back of another vehicle- a situation that usually ends with the guy like you at fault. The Corolla driver is reaming you out, claiming that the incident was entirely your doing and that you should have paid more attention to the road. But instead of just confessing to the officer that it was your fault, you can just pull out your dashcam and say this phrase with strength and boldness: "My dashcam caught all of that. If you'd like, you may take a look, officer."
Those two sentences right there could completely and entirely save your hiney from a ginormous fine, skyrocketing insurance rates, and a lifetime of regret (believe me, my mom still regrets her first and only car crash and she doesn't even have raised insurance rates over the incident!) Footage of the seconds leading up to and after the impact is like a get-out-of-jail-free card. If there hadn't been a dashcam in that situation, the only way your talk with the officer could have ended well is if there was a car chock-full of witnesses on hand, pulled over and willing to lend a hand in your direction (not exactly common, so don't count on it.) In essence, that dashcam is your very own witness to the accident, except that witness doesn't have to verbally describe the crash but rather show it to not just one person but as many as are necessary. So, a little while later, after the Corolla driver is proven at fault, after your insurance company carefully inspects your dashcam footage and realizes you did everything by the book, you and your parents can look at your insurance bill with a decent sigh of relief as you only see a minimal increase in charge. Still drivin', baby!
Radar Detectors and Speeding Ticket Avoidance
In Florida, radar detectors are legal, but they are definitely not something that anyone should rely on entirely to keep them out of trouble. A good example of how a radar detector could save your ass could be the following: You're in a rush to get to a family member's wedding in Melbourne, FL and you left Miami a little bit late. You've been utilizing that trick your dad taught you a while back- finding a car going slightly faster than you and trailing them by 200 meters or so in a different lane, but now you're in the middle of nowhere on two-lane-wide I-75, going almost 20 over (a move your mother might kill you for...if she finds out.) Not exactly your brightest moment on the road. Suddenly, your radar detector alarm goes off, and with just enough distance to spare, you downshift your way back to the speed limit right as you pass by a state trooper slyly hiding behind a hedge. Damn, that was close!
Imagine what would have happened if you didn't have a radar detector! You would have sailed past that cop without ever knowing he was there...until you're on the side of the road and he's at your window saying, "So, Lightning McQueen, you got any idea why I pulled you over?" Of course, 20 over is no laughing matter and could get you a ticket of up to $476 and four points on your license. There are plenty of radar detectors available to the public, and those $476 that you could be forking over because of a speeding ticket could be better used to purchase a pretty good radar detector that shouldn't let you down in times of need.
Like I've mentioned, you can't just rely on a radar detector to do all the work for you. Some of the things, including the 200 meter rule, need to be practiced for extra caution. If you're in dire need of getting somewhere quickly and you're on the highway, find someone who is going faster than both you and the speed limit and let them get about 200 meters ahead of you. Cruise along, matching the other car's speed in a different lane, and most certainly not the left lane. Patrol officers have a tendency to think that a car going kinda fast in the left lane is speeding. Even using this tactic, you aren't 100% immune to speeding tickets. Always look for cops, both on and just off the highway, because sometimes you don't see them until it's too late. They could be hiding behind a concrete overpass column, or in a densely wooded area, or in an unmarked black Dodge Charger on your 4 o'clock. Keep an eye out, otherwise your insurance, driving privileges, and potentially your wallet could suffer.
Know the Law
Yes, I get it. Teenage attorneys aren't exactly common, but I'm not saying to be one. I'm saying that many people who operate a motorized vehicle don't know all of the rules and regulations of the roads in that state. The best way to avoid an officer is to think like one. That means studying the rules of the road like them and following them as well as you can. Rolling through a stop sign to be able to look past a hedge that may be in your way is not acceptable and will get you a ticket for, well, rolling a stop sign. Using your phone while driving for any reason, whether it be sending a snap or lining up some fire tunes, will get you a ticket for exactly that. Moving violations can hit you with points, a decent fine, an unprecedented rise in your insurance rates, and a stern talking-to from Mom and Dad. Believe me, you don't want that.
Every state has different regulations for vehicles and their use. For example, Florida and Iowa. It has been said by many that you could register four wheels and a seat in Florida because there is a decent lack of requirements. In addition, only a single rear license plate is required. Finally, the guideline of "slower cars stay to the right" barely applies to motorists. This tends to make driving in Florida slightly hazardous (albeit interesting.) Meanwhile, in Iowa, there are more requirements in place for vehicles to determine them "roadworthy," license plates must be displayed on the front and rear of the vehicle, and there have been instances of slow people squatting in the left lane and then subsequently being yanked over. So, before your next out-of-state driving adventure, look into the driving laws of the states in which you will drive. Police officers may be lenient because you are an out-of-state driver who is not accustomed to a certain law and let you off with a warning, but better safe than sorry.
So, there are many ways out there that can help you protect your driving record, your insurance costs, and as a teenager, your privilege to drive. With the amount of risk-takers on the road today, any one of these options is a good choice, with your odds of being at fault or even in an accident decreasing more and more for each one you use. Yes, I get it. You're a teenager with a newly-acquired license and some more general freedom. You want to go explore the world, you want to zip down the highway going faster than your parents, you want to try new things. However, for the sake of keeping your newfound freedom, these new "experiments" need to be done with safety and caution in mind. Trust me, your future self will thank you.
Written Content: Anonymous
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