Personal Narrative: Twenty-Three And Finally Legal To Drive

When you go to the Department of Motor Vehicles the line is inevitably long. As you wait for your number to be called you notice a teenager and his parent in an exchange that brings back fond memories of your own rite of passage into the legal driving world. The teenager, at sixteen, has just received his legal driver’s license and their parent has handed over the keys to the family car. As you watch the exchange do you stop to think “Should sixteen be the right age to acquire a legal license to drive?” Most people in our society drive a vehicle to get from one point to another. We never really

A pivotal moment in my life is when I went to go take my driving test. This happened on my birthday, July 12th 2016. I had been practicing with my father and my sister for a couple months, preparing for my first step into adulthood. Up to this point, I had been driving the 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee that my sister and I were sharing. However, the night before my test, it wouldn’t start. We had gotten this car to be our “beater” car, and because it had a hand brake in the middle, which is a requirement for taking the test. But now that the car wasn’t working, I had to use my grandma’s car, which was a car I’ve never driven before. My dad and I left early for my test so I could practice in the car I had never driven before. I was terrified, but determined to pass my first time. My sister had to take her test twice, and usually she was more successful in her endeavors, so this was my chance to prove that I could do at least one thing better than her. Luckily I passed with flying colors, according to my instructor, and to this day I tend to be a designated driver for my friends. I often run errands for my parents and I drive myself to work. This independence and responsibility has helped me grow and has been a critical point in my Big History.

I can’t help but think about Robert Frost’s quote. “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I- I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.” Looking back at what happened, I can now see why I deserved to go through these obstacles. As a child, I hardly ever broke any of my parent’s rules. But, on the off chance that I did, I would always get caught. This made me reluctant to break even the minor rules. One rule was to never get into a car with a person unless my parents gave their approval first. Being seventeen years old, I felt like that rule shouldn’t apply to me anymore. I thought, “ I’m old enough to get into a car with anyone I want to.”

I often get asked why I don’t drive and my simple response to those who ask is simply that I have no interest, which isn’t necessarily true. The real reason I cower away from what I consider to be a huge responsibility of driving is because I have witnessed firsthand the crippling effects cars can have on the fragile human life. In February of my senior on a day that I had just happened to be home from school I received a text from an unusual number it was my best friend’s brother who had texted me to inform me that his sister, a girl who was at my house five times a week, someone who was attached to my hip had been hit by a car. The text was simple and nonchalant which made me think it couldn’t have been too bad.

At the age of 17 all I could think about was having a car. However, I understood that owning a car, I would be required to have a job. This would allow me to pay for insurance, gas and maintenance issues. I also understood buying a car required me to have a driver license. After taking all the necessary steps to purchase my first car. The very first car I bought was a “lemon”.

For years growing up, I always counted on getting my driver’s license the day I turned sixteen. I never really put much thought into the awareness and heed that is required while behind the wheel. I was an immature girl, not thinking about what consequences my actions could hold. My adolescent views of the world were about to land me in a world of hurt.

I could drive for as long as i wanted to with someone in the vehicle. The first time i got behind the wheel i was scared but i knew i could handle it. I was shaking a little bit but i was fine able i starting driving. I learned all the laws before i got behind the wheel. If i didn't know the laws i would get pulled over all the time. I never got pulled over while driving and i

Also, my sister was pregnant at the time and my family was coming over to be there for my nephew's birth and her graduation. I was one of the few persons in my family who had a driver's license. It was my obligation to drive my family around. I did not want anybody to know what I was going through, so I kept driving with a suspended driving

After a long sweet sixteen years, the day had finally come. The chance to get my driver's license. I could not wait. Walking into the DMV confident and cocky, I knew I would come out victorious. Of course, I passed with zero points off. I became overwhelmed joy and obtained a sense of freedom. One of the best feelings I have ever had was walking out of that DMV with a sheet of paper that said I was a legal driver. However, with that sheet of paper, came a great deal of responsibilities. Taking care of my car, obeying laws, and being safe all play a very important role in keeping my license. Failing to comply with these responsibilities could eventually lead to extensive damage or even major injuries to myself or others. However, these responsibilities

     If you had told me when I turned sixteen that I couldn’t get my license until I turned eighteen, I would have thrown a fit. Now that I am older, I realize that I had no business driving an automobile at 16 years old. I was the typical teenage driver. The cool one, who had the “Detroit

One of the greatest things that teenagers look forward to is getting their driver¡¦s licence and getting the freedom to do whatever they want. Ever since graduated licensing began five years ago, on April 1,1994, many people have made good and bad comments about it.

Everyone has been through that time in their life when they're in their mid-teens, and start to obtain new privileges and responsibilities like driving for the first time, and or getting a first real job. One might sound dull, and boring, but the other is something every teen cannot wait to experience, but unluckily for me my first driving experience wasn't so great. A couple months back, I was in my auto technical class, and the class, and I were doing our day to day shop work when my instructor came up to me, and said he needed a car moved so we can check it out. He handed me the keys no questions asked most likely because I had neglected to tell him I haven't even gotten my permit yet. So me and my buddy ran to the car with excitement and I hopped into the driver side assuring my friend I knew what I was doing after he’d asked me about three times. I put the vehicle in drive and it started to move at that moment I realized I didn't know to hold the brake down and ended up colliding with the truck in front of us.

Driving fast in a car may be unsafe but the thrill and excitement of high rates of speed gave me a rush I had never felt before. Seeing, feeling and hearing everything go by faster made the whole driving experience so much better. My mouth watered with envy as I approached the drivers' seat every time I went out for a drive. The automobile, as a whole, became a high interest of mine; the styling, the sound and the speed of it. I loved driving and I loved cars and all of this new found love was from the birth of my drivers' license. Such a simple piece of paper opened up such a broad area of learning for me; it was of much amazement to me.

Learning something new can be a frightening experience; especially for a sixteen year old high school student who has not really experienced life until now; yet, I was filled with an enormous amount of anticipation and eagerness as I learned to drive for the first time. Without a doubt I had a lot of fears, I would wreck the car, resting in the back of my mind. Months earlier, I had read a report published in a magazine, and I knew that statistically one out every three teens has an accident in the course of their first year of driving, but I was determined not to be one of those statistics on my first day. I kept telling myself “I am not going to crash; I am not going to crash; I am not going to crash.” I was trying to convince myself there was nothing to it, that driving was easy, but I knew there was no way around it; I had to overcome my fears in order to gain my independence and freedom. The ability to drive myself places would give me my individuality, even if I did have to have an adult passenger with me while driving. But to a sixteen year old kid; if I could drive I would be free to navigate the world, and the possibilities would be endless. I would transcend into adulthood.

April 9th, 2016, was the day I left the BMV with my learner’s permit in hand. I had a grin from ear to ear as I walked out of there and realized I was finally one step closer to driving on my own. Step one out of several had been accomplished in my climb to success. However, I knew it wouldn’t be an easy task to complete. That climb to success could’ve ended in one of two ways. I could’ve either failed my final test and walked away completely defeated; or passed and gotten my official driver’s license. My sweaty palms and shaky legs were the biggest clue as to how this journey started. However, I couldn’t just start driving right away.