On my birthday last week, granddaughter Darilyn sent a message from her home in North Carolina. “I have gotten my drivers license today.”  I said, “For my birthday you sent me another worry?”

What I found out later was that the same week, Darilyn’s cousin (and our second granddaughter) Jessica had gotten her drivers license. The next Monday, our youngest granddaughter JoAnne got hers.

Yikes.

Only 12-year-old Jack is still unable to drive. The rest of our eight grands–Leah, Jessica, Grant, Abby, Erin, Darilyn, and JoAnne–are all qualified (by the state at least!) to slip behind the wheel of an automobile and drive it anywhere.

Nothing moves one’s prayer life to warp speed like seeing his child or grandchild pull away in the family automobile.  The prayer is usually a constant repetition of the same panicky words: “Oh, Lord, protect her!!”

It’s time for Grandpa Joe to put in writing what he would like to say to each of the grands, if we could sit down for a session on the subject of “your new drivers license.”  Here goes….

1) It’s dangerous out there.  The moment you think it isn’t you are headed for trouble.

2) Driving is far more difficult and demanding than we have made it look.

You see us turn on the ignition, pull the gear into “drive,” and steer the car with our hands while our right food feeds the accelerator, and it looks simple.  Nothing about it is simple.

A thousand things can go wrong when you are doing nothing more hazardous than driving to the grocery store. To prove the point, here are things that have happened to me while driving on familiar streets and highways….

–A tire blew while I was driving 70 mph. (When that happened to another tire a few days later, the company replaced all four of the tires. But I could have been killed.)

–A crazy driver suddenly zoomed out of nowhere on a motorcycle and scared the daylights out of me. He was doing at least 90 mph. (That has happened many times, I regret to say. Remember this: The faster a motorcycle goes, the more invisible it becomes to the other motorists.)  (Note: Stay off motorcyles! People who ride them say they are more fun than anything, but motorcyclists are an endangered species, guys.)

–I was driving across a parking lot toward Clearview when an old man failed to stop at the intersection and broadsided my car.  (Note: Parking lots are where most accidents occur. Go slow and stay alert.)

–At a four-way stop near my house, no one was coming as I started to pull away, when suddenly a guy on a bicycle zoomed out of nowhere and right through the intersection in front of me. (I pulled up beside him and called out, “Mister, I almost killed you. That scared the stuffing out of me!” He cursed me.)  (Note: Watch out for bicycles. Most riders have no clue that they should obey all traffic laws and ride WITH the traffic, not facing it.)

–I was stopping in the left lane, my blinker on to indicate I was turning left. While waiting for the traffic to clear so I could turn, a driver not paying attention rear-ended my car.  He was driving an expensive Corvette, the body of which is made of fiber-glass. When he hit my car, his literally exploded all over the highway. It made only a dent in my bumper since I was driving a large Pontiac.  (Note: Turning left on a busy street is always dangerous.  If you can avoid it, do something else.)

–Coming home after preaching in a distant city, I am horrified to see that the most dangerous drivers anywhere are on Interstate 10 and I-610 right here in our city.  Now, 99 percent of the motorists are careful, but that 1 percent is murderous. They speed in heavy traffic, they tail-gate, they almost take off your bumper while passing.  Why do they do this? Some are drinking, some are on drugs, and some are just stupid.  (Note: If you cannot drive defensively, you are not going to survive on these streets.)

What defensive driving means…

“You are always on the alert as to what could possibly happen.” That’s the sum total of what defensive driving means.

–This is why you cannot relax too much on the interstate. Anything could happen.

–On a residential street, you’re watching for animals and pedestrians, for kids on bikes and mothers backing out of their driveways. Slow down and pay attention.

–Crossing a busy parking lot, you’re watching for people who drive the wrong way (all the cars are pointed one way and this nut is driving the other direction), for cars backing out in front of you, for stray shopping baskets, and for people walking.  Slow down; be alert.

–On the interstate, when you think you can relax because of the wide open spaces and the 70 mph speed limit, you must stay on the alert.  The guy in front of you has a blow-out. Or, you suddenly see a huge obstacle in your lane. Anything could happen.

–The lady in the next car may drift into your lane because she is distracted. She’s on the phone, putting on her makeup (!), or eating her lunch. She’s turning to hit a child in the back seat, trying to get a cigarette from the glove compartment, or writing a note. Get out of her way!

–Stay away from huge trucks on the highway.  They are killers. Even though 99 percent of their drivers are responsible, even they can be distracted momentarily, and with these massive machines anything that gets in their way is in trouble.  Then there is the 1 percent of truck drivers who are on drugs or drunk or mad at someone.  Stay away from trucks. If you are passing one, get around it and move on.  But you must never ever ride close behind or close beside an 18-wheeler.  They are deadly.  (Driving down a country highway in Mississippi, a truck passed me going in the opposite direction. Then, I saw it: one of his wheels had come off and was bouncing down the highway behind him! Those wheels are huge and heavy. If one hits you, they could wreck your car.)

–In heavy traffic, if possible, keep your hand positioned on the wheel so that your right thumb stays on the horn. (Your hand is too small?  That’s why I said “if possible.”)  Here’s what happens. Suddenly, the driver to your right starts to move into your lane. You cannot believe this! Does he not see you? Your body panics and the horn blows, since your hand was already in place.  He jerks back into his lane and all is well.  (Had you had to wait until you recovered, then sent a message to your hand to hit the horn, the accident would already have occurred.) This simple technique has saved me from at least four accidents in the last 20 years.

–Stay out of the blind spot of the other driver.

The most important rule of the street and highway: Be kind.

Something strange happens to people when they get inside a car. They think they are anonymous and invisible, so they do things they would never do where they could be seen. They try to bully other drivers, cut them off in traffic, and grow angry when someone treats them the same way.

“Drive unto others as you would have them drive unto you.”

Pray for yourself and your driving.  And remember to pray for all the other drivers around you. Your doing the right thing will not guarantee you’ll not be in an accident. Sometimes it’s the other driver’s fault, but you are hurt nonetheless.

Someone says, “But I had the right of way.”  Maybe you did, but if the other driver insisted on going ahead of you and for you to “claim your rights” would mean hitting him, let him go.

Your object is not to teach the other drivers a lesson about sportsmanship or safe driving techniques. Your object is to arrive alive and safe.

When people do bad stuff on the streets and highways, let them. You stay back and get out of their way.  Always be kind.

When you are in an accident….

–Get both cars out of the way. Many times a small traffic event becomes a disaster when other cars and trucks smash into two vehicles that had stopped for a fender-bender. Get your car away from the traffic!

–Once you get out of your car, make sure you are safe at all times.  Pull your car to safety, be alert to the traffic around you, and do three things: First, write down his tag number. If he drives away for any reason, you know everything necessary for the police to get him. Second, get the name and address of the other party and his/her insurance information. Third, give them your information.  If the accident is minor, you do not need to call the police. (Do not let the other driver beg for mercy, or offer you money. Show him tough love and insist on seeing his insurance information. If he does not have insurance, then call the police. He’s breaking the law, and you should not have to pay for his foolishness.)

If you’re in an accident, it’s not the end of the world.  Grant and I were in my new car in the hospital parking garage, following a large pickup truck while looking for an empty slot. Suddenly, the truck stopped for a moment, then the driver pulled it into reverse and slammed into the front of my car. I got out and said, “What were you doing!!” The man said, “I didn’t see you.” I said, “I’ve been behind you all this time with my lights on and you couldn’t see me?” (Yes, his insurance company repaired my car.)

Stuff happens, gang.  As much as you possibly can, be prepared. Stay alert, be kind, and never ever text while driving.

If I ever see you texting while driving, I’m pulling you over and taking your car keys and slinging them as far as I can.  I’ll do anything to protect the lives of the eight young people whom I love as dearly as anyone on the planet.

“Dear Lord, bless my grandchildren. Keep them safe and smart, alert and kind. For Jesus’ sake. Amen.”