Most new drivers practice parking, turns, and lane changes. Few practice what to do when a tire slips off the edge of the road. That moment lasts only a second or two, and the reaction makes all the difference. During Teen Driver Safety Week, a heartbreaking crash in Flagler County shows why.
A Tragic Sunday Morning
News4JAX reported that a 17-year-old driver was killed on the morning of Sunday, October 18, when the SUV he was driving overturned on Pine Street in the Bunnell area. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the driver lost control, ran onto the east shoulder, and then overcorrected to the right, causing the vehicle to overturn onto its roof. A 16-year-old passenger had minor injuries. Two other passengers were not injured. Troopers said none of the four people in the SUV was wearing a seat belt. FHP’s Traffic Homicide Investigation unit is investigating.
Our thoughts are with the family, friends, and community affected by this loss. We share what follows in the hope that it helps other young drivers and their families.
Why Overcorrection Is So Dangerous
When a tire drops off the pavement, the natural reaction is to yank the wheel back toward the road. That’s the mistake. A tire caught on the pavement edge can resist, and then suddenly grab. When it does, a sharp steering input sends the vehicle snapping across the road. It may cross into oncoming traffic, spin, or, in a taller vehicle like an SUV, roll over.
Overcorrection isn’t about bad intentions. It’s a reflex. The way to beat a reflex is to know, ahead of time, exactly what you’ll do instead.
What Florida’s Handbook Says to Do
The Official Florida Driver License Handbook gives four steps for when your right wheels go off the pavement:
- Take your foot off the gas pedal.
- Hold the wheel firmly and steer in a straight line.
- Brake lightly.
- Wait until the road is clear, then turn back onto the pavement at a slow speed, and signal your intention.
In other words: stay calm, slow down, and come back gently. The shoulder is a safer place to be for a few seconds than the middle of the road at speed.
Practice It Before You Need It
Parents, this is a skill worth talking through during supervised driving time, before your teen ever needs it:
- Talk it through first. Have your teen say the steps out loud: off the gas, steer straight, brake lightly, return slowly.
- Keep eyes up. Look where you want the vehicle to go, not at the edge of the road.
- Watch speed on rural roads. Narrow roads with grassy or soft shoulders leave little margin. Lower speed means more time to recover.
- Keep both hands on the wheel. A firm grip makes it easier to hold a straight line if a tire drops.
- Limit passengers. Every extra passenger is another distraction for a new driver.
Seat Belts: The Last Line of Defense
In a rollover, a seat belt keeps you in your seat and inside the vehicle. Florida law makes buckling up a requirement. Under Florida Statute 316.614:
- Every driver must wear a seat belt.
- The driver is responsible for making sure every passenger under 18 is buckled, in any seat.
- Passengers 18 and older riding in the front seat must wear a seat belt.
The rule for families is simpler than the law: everyone buckles up, every seat, every trip. And if you’re the driver, the car doesn’t move until everyone is buckled.
Where It Starts: Driver Education
In Florida, the path to a learner’s license starts with the Driver Education Traffic Safety (DETS) course. That’s where new drivers first learn about hazard recognition and defensive driving. For more on the requirement, read our Florida DETS guide for teens.
Defensive Drivers Institute’s Florida DETS course is FLHSMV-approved, fully online, and self-paced. It’s required for anyone under 18 who has never held a license from another state or country, and it covers defensive driving, hazard recognition, distracted and drowsy driving, Florida traffic laws and road signs, and sharing the road. Completion is reported to the state.
The Bottom Line
If your wheels leave the road: off the gas, steer straight, brake lightly, and come back slowly. Buckle up every time. And talk with the young drivers in your life about both, this week.
Ready to start the path to a Florida learner’s license? Start the Florida DETS course.
