Now I avoid letting other drivers rush me into decisions that I’m not ready for— and these days I drive an automatic.


TIPS STRESS FACTORS


A honking car horn can be a truly stressful sound, especially if you’re a young driver. Getchell let a horn pressure her into a poor decision, and she paid the price. Fortunately she wasn’t injured, and State Farm was there to lend a hand. Getchell learned from her experience and became a better driver. You can too.


1 Don’t let other drivers push you to make rushed decisions on the road.


1 When learning to use a manual transmission, practice driving on empty roads until you’re comfortable behind the wheel.


1 If you drive more slowly than others, stay in the right lane and allow traffi c to pass. Don’t force yourself to travel at a speed you aren’t comfortable with.


1 Visit State Farm’s Teen Driving website, betterteendriving.com, for tips on safer driving and better family communication.


Caitlin Getchell TULSA, OKLAHOMA


High stress and a manual transmission FIRST ACCIDENT FACTORS:


I’D ONLY BEEN DRIVING FOR A FEW MONTHS when I got into my fi rst accident. T e car had a stick shiſt , and I still wasn’t entirely comfortable driving it. I was waiting at a stop sign to make a leſt turn out of a


parking lot. T e road was busy, and I waited for a long time. Cars were honking their horns at me, and so I made a rush turn when I thought the road was clear enough. What happened next is a little fuzzy in my mind, but I’m


pretty sure the car stalled. T e next thing I knew, a huge green truck slammed into me as I was making the turn. My wind- shield shattered, and the car was totaled. When the police came to take my statement, I got a ticket for—ironically—failing to yield at the stop sign. I had to pay the ticket, but my parents’ State Farm insurance covered the cost of the damages to the car. Now I avoid letting other drivers rush me into decisions that I’m not ready for—and these days I drive an automatic.


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