"Educating Our Children"

 The following is a topic I can talk about forever because I feel we need to educate our children. Our student drivers are not being taught how to share the roads with tractor trailers and other motorist. They need to be educated about stopping distances, when to pull out, when to signal, tailgating and the list goes on. A few adults could also use a education on sharing the roads with tractor trailers. We as parents need to work with our student drivers, as well as talk to school driving instructors to introduce into our student driver training programs important facts and safety tips about sharing the roads with tractor trailers and others.
I've always been concerned about the day my children would begin to drive. I dreaded the day coming. Then it was here. This year my sixteen year old started driving. We worked with him for several months before I finally broke down and let him go be tested. He moaned and groaned to get his license. I truthfully gave in because I was so confident that they would fail him. I believed he would have to wait longer before he would be aloud to test again. The joke was on me.

We took him down to take his drivers test. What we witnessed shocked both my husband and myself. This child never once left the parking lot to see how he could actually handle a car in real life situations. He drove around a parking lot, parallel parked between orange cones and answered a few questions. Anyone can pass a test doing it in an empty parking lot.

I was personally riding in the car with him home from the store one day along with my five year old son who was buckled in the back seat. My son who was driving had to make a left hand turn to get us to the house. He had a tractor trailer behind him and we were rolling along at 55 m.p.h. in our tiny white mustang. My son started to slow down and then he turned his left hand signal on. I went into a panic instantly. Not out loud, but my heart rate increased and fear set in. I tried to stay calm when I said to my son, "And just what do you think you are going to do?" He said, "make a left hand turn." I said you aren't going to make a left hand turn. You did not give that truck driver behind you enough notice of what your intentions are and I am not going to let you do that to him. Now either you will fly into that left hand turn not slowing this car down anymore or you can continue forward and go farther down the road so you can let that poor man behind you know what your intentions are by signaling far enough in advance.

You know I was more afraid for the truck driver behind us at the moment then I was about ourselves. I know you find that hard to believe, but it is the truth. We were now slowed down to 45 m.p.h. and had the trucker hit us who knows what the outcome would have been? I certainly don't like to think about it, but I have to. It could have been a very messy situation and in the end it would have been the truckers word against ours. Especially if the out come had been fatal.

We need to give truck drivers enough notice of our intentions so they can prepare themselves. They have to down shift through many gears and it takes a lot to slow those big trucks down. I know you have heard it a million times "a truck can not stop on a dime," and it is true. Why put these men and woman in bad situations, when the situation can be avoided with education? I will gladly share with you tips and advice on sharing the roads with tractor trailers. There are many good organizations out there who will gladly educate you and your children. The life we save by getting an education could be our own or that of a man or woman we know nothing about, known as "truck drivers."

What did my son chose to do you are wondering? We made a left hand turn at at 45 m.p.h., I think my finger prints are still in the door handle and on the dash board. Need I say I was extremely upset when we reached the house? My son got an ear chewing and education about tractor trailers that he should not forget for a long time to come. An education that he should not of really needed considering that we have been educating him for years. Plus the fact that he comes from a long line of truck drivers and hears everything that upsets us as drivers. Everytime he leaves the house I remind him about signaling and giving enough advance notice of his intentions. I remind him let the truck go by first when pulling out from some place, rather then taking chances on beating the big truck. There is no place he needs to be so badly that he needs to put himself, a truck driver or anyone else at risk.

Yes, I sound like a broken record when he's going out the door. But after my experience with him in the car that day I don't think he can be reminded enough. It helps to remind our children from time to time to keep everyone safe out there. C
 

I Love My Children and I Love My Husband Who Drives Tractor Trailer And I want them all safe! I also want you and yours to be safe as well. Let's educate our children and our family members before it's to late!
 
 

 
 
 
 

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