WHS sophomores are hitting the road as many of them turn 16 and earn their drivers licenses. This has created increasing anticipation amongst students, as the new drivers navigate both entering and exiting the school as well as parking.
While driving creates a newfound sense of independence, it is important for those who are new to it to err on the side of caution while they are just starting out.
Sophomore Chloe Taylor is 15 years old and will get her license in June. Taylor said that members of her class often show carelessness behind the wheel.
“The new drivers at Westside are decent, but they’re not the best,” Taylor said. “They’re either good or they don’t care at all, so they’re either safe or they drive recklessly.”
This reckless driving or lack of attention while driving has led to a lot of accidents amongst the sophomores, even though the year has just begun. Many report being extremely scared to drive after getting into an accident, and said that their confidence was shaken.
“I’m most nervous about getting into an accident, because then I wouldn’t want to drive ever again,” Taylor said.
The main factor contributing to the unfortunate amount of crashes for first time drivers is a lack of experience. Jordyn VanGinkel is a sophomore who got her license in May. She thinks that practicing every day made her improve significantly.
“When I first started driving in May and June, it was pretty rough, like I hated driving,” VanGinkel said. “But I have to drive to practice and that’s what got me better at driving is the fact that I had to drive every day.”
There are many positives that come with a new generation of drivers as well. One is the increased sense of freedom that they experience, and a lack of dependence on other people for transportation.
“My favorite part of driving is the amount of freedom that I get from being able to drive,” VanGinkel said. “I can see so many more friends because I can make way more plans and I don’t have to rely on parents for that stuff.”
Since they are underclassmen, the sophomores have also expressed a grievance of being unable to get a parking space due to the limited parking at Westside. Jordyn says that she has to park across Pacific and thinks this will be extremely difficult in the winter time.
“I also know the amount of crashes that I see in the Westside parking lots needs to stop. I just witnessed a car crash last week. It’s not terrible, but think Westside definitely needs more parking.” VanGinkel said.
Overall, as the WHS sophomores embrace the recently acquired privilege of driving, it is important for them to balance the excitement with caution and responsibility.
