Driving

Driving is part of Ameircan life. While it may take years for a Chinese person to buy a car with his/her savings， many American late teens have their own cars once they get their driver’s licenses at age 16. When I was at grad school， I was surprised to see my classmate， in her early 20s， driving a family-oriented Jeep SUV alone. She was a slender[苗條的] young lady. One time， when I was in her car as a passenger， I was amazed at how she could maneuver[操縱] such a big car seemingly effortlessly， while at the same time talking on her cellphone.

Yep， it’s a common scene on American highways； drivers using their cellphones while driving. Thanks to the invention of the touch-screen Smart Phones， a driver’s hands are busier nowadays besides controlling the steering wheel.

When I am being driven somewhere， I like peeking through my passenger side window， and often see other drivers with all sorts of different behaviors： chatting or texting on the phone with one hand； sticking one arm out of the driver’s window to enjoy the sunshine and breeze； eating and drinking inside the car； and moving their bodies vigorously[精力充沛地] along with heavy-bass club music， that at times even spills out of their vehicles.

A series of consequences affecting other drivers ensue[緊接著發生]. Speeding and tailgating is very common on American highways. If you see a speed limit sign that says 60 （miles per hour）， you should expect most cars to go over 60. Some run a little faster while other risk-takers drive their cars like a runaway rocket. There’re drivers who like zigzagging[成Z字形] between lanes as if they are in a FormulaⅠrace car.

Many reasons， like drunk driving and distracted driving， cause crashes. In recent years， texting while driving has caused more and more accidents.Thus， many states in America have implemented[執行] texting bans. But these state texting bans have had only limited effects on fatal[致命的] accidents. Drivers return to their previous habits within months.

If you plan to drive in America， you may want to take the advice of my American driving instructor with you. She said， being a good driver yourself is not enough； be cautious of dangerous drivers around you. Drive safely！