UNDERAGE driving, joy riding and speeding are principal causes of car accidents in the Kingdom. We are not going to quote statistics here but rather prove our point from the horse’s mouth.
Teenage boys are under constant peer pressure to drive. By the age of 10, a boy already has an idea of what car he wants his father to buy for him when he comes of age. Boys are beginning to drive illegally at 16 — 18 is the legal age — and even younger in some cases; we have all seen drivers so young that they can hardly see above the steering wheel. At such an age, the typical teenage boy has only the slightest idea of what is beneficial for him and others and what is harmful. Yet for many teenagers their wish to drive and own a car soon comes true. This is done by persuading the father, either by the teenager or mother wishing her son to have a better "lifestyle". This is a dangerous start for a young man’s adult life. Although a father may decide to buy, or provide a car and thus the opportunity for his son to drive, many do so only under pressure.
The common scenario goes like this: The teenager promises to study and do well in school if his father allows him to drive or buy a car. The father trusts the boy and does as his son wishes. The son gets too involved with running about in the car, going out seeing friends and joy riding and he naturally neglects his studies. His father gets angry, tries to punish him but the damage has already been done. In many cases, the father receives a phone call saying that his son has been involved in a traffic accident.
This scenario is not made up; it is a daily reality. Hisham is 17 years old and told me his story. "I go to a private school and all my friends have cars. It wasn’t fair that I didn’t have one. I kept asking my dad, but he wouldn’t buy me one. He said he didn’t have enough money and even if he did, it was too dangerous for me to drive at my age. I hated it. I felt we were poor; my dad was treating me like a child and my friends were making fun of me because I get dropped off by the driver. I kept crying and begging until he bought me a car.
"He told me that I had to get the best grade in class and he trusted me to drive safely, like a ‘real man’ or he would take my car away. I was doing good at first, studying and he was proud of me. Then my friends began to meet during the week when I wasn’t allowed to go out. I used to sneak out behind my dad’s back. My friends and I would race our cars and come home late. My dad found out, got angry and took my car keys.
"I used to steal them and go out. I didn’t like doing that but it was the only way I could get out of the house. I just kept getting into trouble all the time and even failed four exams. Then I had an accident when I was racing my car. It was going too fast and I lost control and crashed into another car. We were all injured and I don’t remember what happened next — just my mother screaming and crying when she saw me on the hospital bed. I was ashamed and embarrassed to see my father. It was the first time I had ever seen him cry. I might have died and brought even more sadness to my family."
Hisham’s story is one of many, and many have a far more tragic ending. Although a mother plays a role regarding her son’s wish to drive, the message here is directed to the father because he usually makes the final decision on major family matters. By no means does a teenager have the judgment and ability to drive safely if he is under the legal age to drive. Even when he has reached the legal age of 18, he still may not have a sense of responsibility. There are more disadvantages than advantages when it comes to teenagers driving cars. A father should not feel guilty or pressured by anyone to allow his underage son to drive even if he has the ability to do so. The father is expected to exercise his judgment since he has more experience and a better sense of what is beneficial for his son. A teenager desperately needs direction and guidance if he is to become a responsible, proud, successful and a happy adult. He needs to know that how he is seen in the eyes of others should not be based on material possessions but by the values he holds such as honesty, obedience, education, loyalty, respect and above all his faith in Allah and following the Holy Qur’an.