Every few months when Bein Hazmanim arrives, Lakewood sees an influx of bachurim and girls returning home from yeshiva and seminary. It is a special time for families to reconnect and for young people to recharge. At the same time, it also brings something many residents quietly notice: a sudden increase of young drivers back on the road.

Many of these bachurim and girls have spent months away without driving at all. When they return home, they often get back behind the wheel right away after not having driven for quite some time. Like any skill, driving takes practice, and when someone has not driven in months it can take time to get comfortable again.

Lakewood’s roads can also be difficult even for experienced drivers. Between the heavy traffic, constant construction, busy intersections, pedestrians, bicyclists, and buses, it requires a lot of awareness and patience to navigate safely. For someone who is just getting back into driving, or who may not yet have a lot of experience to begin with, it can quickly become overwhelming.

This is not meant as criticism of our bachurim and girls. It is simply a call for awareness. Those returning home should take a little time to get used to driving again before jumping straight into the busiest roads. Even a few short drives to get back into the rhythm can make a difference.

Parents can also help by encouraging a bit of extra caution and reminding their children that driving in Lakewood requires patience and focus.

And for the rest of us on the road, it helps to remember that during Bein Hazmanim there are many young drivers reacclimating to driving again. A little extra patience from everyone can go a long way toward keeping our roads safer.

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