BEEP! BEEP! HONK! HONK! The traffic in the morning is almost always heavy. There are always kids scrambling to get to school and parents rushing to be on time for work. Although it may be stressful, there aren’t many ways to bypass it.

Students at PLHS do not mind the traffic, as long as they get to drive on their own. 

Driving has been a more convenient way for many students to get around.

“I drive almost everyday,” senior Emily Lindseth said. “I drive to school, work, and my friends’ houses.”

Similar to other aspects of life, accidents are prone to happen. Sometimes, they can produce crazy stories!

“One of the school’s construction workers was in a mini bulldozer and I needed to get around him when coming into the school parking lot,” junior Kailey Waszak said. “Then, he started backing up as I was passing through! His vehicle backed straight into mine and kept ramming the hood of my car.”

Since winter has started, the amount of potholes in the roads have increased, and the ice has made it harder for some to drive. 

“Driving in the winter is scary,” Lindseth said. “I’ve been lucky enough not to be in a wreck, but the neighborhoods are always terrifying to drive on with all the ice everywhere.”

For several other students, driving has not become too hard with the colder weather.

“It’s not too bad [because] I have four wheel drive, but when the snow isn’t cleared, it can be pretty difficult to keep control of your car when turning and stopping,” Waszak said. 

The forecast is not always accurate, there could be an unexpected snow storm in the middle of the night. Preparing ahead is key to being successful when driving. 

“If you park outside, you have to leave enough time in the mornings to warm your car up or scrape the snow and ice off,” Waszak said. “You should always keep a coat, hat, and gloves in your car.”

Driving is a privilege, and being reckless can cause major problems. 

“It’s better to be safe and late than to be in a rush and have something bad happen,” Lindseth said.

Driving through all the traffic in the morning can be irritating, but it is giving these students a taste of adulthood.