| Summer time is here and it's a great time to grab the | | | | the first year of your drivers license. So you've already |
| guys and hit the road to hit the beach. How cool is it to | | | | got the best excuse to avoid a hassle from peer |
| be a teenager with a license, a girlfriend or friends who | | | | pressure. |
| can load up into the car and head to the beach for a | | | | Beach Blanket Time |
| day of fun in the sun? It's exceptionally cool, but it's | | | | As you hit the highways and head to the beach, here |
| only cool if you take a few precautions to along for | | | | are a few other helpful tips to make your driving and |
| the ride. | | | | summer planning easier. Gas up before you head out |
| Friends Don't Bring Alcohol | | | | on the trip; this is beneficial because it saves time along |
| Alcohol and driving never mix. Point of order: different | | | | the way and prevents unnecessary stops on the way |
| people metabolize alcohol in different ways. There are | | | | back. Pack a cooler with plenty of water and fruit. |
| plenty of people who are legally drunk off one beer. If | | | | Both of which can help hydrate you throughout your |
| you are thinking to yourself that you are definitely not | | | | fun in the sun on the beach. |
| one of them; then consider this thought. People drink to | | | | Check the highway reports and target your drive time |
| relax. They drink to get drunk. They drink to party. | | | | for before or after the rush hour periods. It's better to |
| Relaxation, partying and drunkenness are not states | | | | avoid heavy congestion because you waste more |
| that are conducive to driving. | | | | gallons of gas just sitting in traffic than you would if |
| Teen drivers are also particularly susceptible to two | | | | you could just drive to your destination. It's also a good |
| things: 1) lack of experience in knowing their limits, and | | | | plan to make alternate route plans that let you get to |
| 2) attention teen drivers get from observant police-- | | | | your destination in the event of a highway close or |
| who were teens once themselves. | | | | slow down due to unforeseen accidents. |
| In driver's education training classes you learned that | | | | It's these boring bits of pre-planning that let you |
| driving is about control. It's about maintaining an | | | | prepare for any eventuality. It's also a good plan to |
| awareness of your surroundings and being able to | | | | avoid mishaps like a flat tire with no spare or no jack. If |
| anticipate the actions of other drivers. When you think | | | | you have an older car, keeping a gallon of water in the |
| of partying, don't think of alcohol. When you think of | | | | trunk is another way to plan for the possibility of your |
| relaxing, don't think of getting drunk. Hanging out with | | | | engine overheating. Bear in mind, however, that if your |
| your friends and having a good time should never be | | | | engine does overheat and you have to pull over don.t |
| about getting stupid and reckless-- And if that's still not | | | | touch the radiator cap or anything else in the engine |
| enough to get it through your head, then remember | | | | until it's cooled down-- you can get such severe burns |
| this:o Drinking while driving will get you arrested.o | | | | otherwise. |
| Drinking while driving will get you killed.o Drinking while | | | | One Last Note |
| driving will make you a murderer.o Drinking while driving | | | | Enjoying your summer fun is important. Enjoying the |
| will ruin your life. | | | | time with your friends is important. Don't let time spent |
| So if that's the case, then remind your buddy that | | | | or fun had with your friends impair your ability and |
| wants to bring that six-pack they nicked from their | | | | judgment. Driving-- teen driving, in particular-- is a |
| parents that they can sit it out on the curb. This is an | | | | privilege, not a right. You can lose privileges or worse; |
| alcohol free zone. In the State of California, you cannot | | | | you can lose your life and where's the fun in that? |
| transport other passengers under the age of 20 during | | | | |