Why learn to drive? Why drive period?
Where would we be as a society if we didn’t drive our vehicles so often? I do try to avoid driving everywhere, but sometimes it’s so much more convenient to drive as opposed to bike, walk or take public transportation. Planning my route when I have to run errands also means I have more than one stop to make during that time. How difficult would that be if I didn’t drive?
Since my four kids are all involved with a variety of activities throughout the year, it really helps that my wife also drives. If she didn’t, some of the activities my kids do would have to go away. For example, last week my oldest son had a baseball game after school, then an hour after that my other son had basketball practice and then 40 minutes after we got home, we had to leave for my son’s hockey practice. Wouldn’t it be more difficult if we didn’t drive? Since my wife can drive, it’s a much more convenient lifestyle that we have. My wife may take one or two of the kids to their activities while I take the others to their’s. Our kids get to do the things they like with very little disappointment because of the convenience of being able to drive.
I remember when I didn’t drive though. I had to rely on my friends for a ride. I felt bad that my one friend was driving all the time. There were times that I didn’t get to go places because either public transportation didn’t go where I wanted to go or my friends were too busy or already had a full carload. That prompted me to get my driver’s license.
A friend of mine convinced me to take a driving course with him when we were 16 years old. That was the start of expanding my lifestyle. Being able to drive has allowed me to take vacations, visit friends and family, go to a variety of fun places and of course, get a job that I enjoy. What would I have done without a driver’s license?
I’ve had students at Young Drivers of Canada who were adults learning to drive for the first time. They wanted their driver’s license so they could get an advancement in their job. Some wanted their license so they could actually find a job in another city. Whatever their reason, it was a good choice for their future. I’ve also had seniors learn to drive for the first time because their spouse either was too ill to drive or they were alone again. They wanted their driver’s license so they could go grocery shopping, go to church and visit friends and family.
Having a driver’s license opens the doors for many things in our future. Whether it’s for a job, vacation or taking our kids to different places, a driver’s license, and perhaps even owning a vehicle, can improve our lifestyle. Remember though, it’s still a privilege to have a driver’s license, so don’t take it for granted. Look after it because once it’s gone your lifestyle changes for the worse.