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