Safe Driving with the Kids

When driving on the highway at night, thoughts sometimes cross my mind that I don’t usually consider. The evenly spaced orange lights along the highway and the taillights of the cars ahead create a beautiful scene, and I get the illusion that my speed is being absorbed into the darkness. At the same time, the interior of the car feels more than usual like my own private space.

The other day, on the way back from my parents’ house, I got on the highway as usual, and the kids, probably tired from playing, quickly fell asleep. When I checked their sleeping faces faintly visible in the dim light through the rearview mirror, I thought:

It’s all up to my driving whether I protect these sleeping faces or put them in danger…

There’s something magical about a child’s sleeping face. Even though they often don’t listen and can be frustrating, seeing them asleep instantly melts all those feelings away. The saying “a child’s sleeping face is angelic” is exactly right, and it makes me feel I must protect these sleeping faces with all my might.

Don’t Overestimate Your Car or Your Driving

That night on the highway, as expected, I encountered a car slowly cruising in the passing lane. Every time a car like that pulled in front of me, my still-developing patience would quickly get tested.

“Why did they change lanes right in front of me just to go that slow?”
“Look at all those cars lined up behind me—don’t they check their mirrors?”

These unhelpful feelings bubbled up inside me.

If I were younger, without kids, and driving a Porsche or BMW back then, I might have immediately blasted past in the driving lane—or maybe even tailgated. (I was more hot-headed in those days…)

The truth is, Porsche is such a high-performance car that even drivers without advanced skills can easily overtake slower vehicles. Its acceleration is incredible, and steering at high speeds is rock solid and confidence-inspiring.

That’s why it’s easy to fall into the illusion that your driving skills have improved.

But that’s exactly the trap to watch out for—overconfidence can lead to driving too fast, losing control, and causing accidents.

Now, with my current responsibilities and, most importantly, with my children in the car, I’m always aware that forcing my way past or tailgating would put them in danger.

So I think, “It’s okay, I’m not in a hurry, I’ll keep a safe distance and drive carefully…” When I drive like this, usually a car in a hurry will cut in front of me and aggressively tailgate the slow driver, who then moves back to the driving lane. (Though I know I shouldn’t expect that)

Safe Driving Is Especially Important for Porsche Owners

When I was in my 20s and still single, I acted like I had grown up all on my own and often talked down to my parents. They were relatively strict, and I resented not being able to do as I pleased, leading to many clashes.

But only after having children myself did I begin to understand what my parents must have felt raising me.

My family often went out by car, and I usually fell asleep quickly, waking up only when we arrived. I’m sure my parents looked at my and my brother’s sleeping faces and thought, “We must protect these kids.”

There was a time when I arrogantly thought, “I’ve achieved what I have through my own efforts.” But from birth until I grew up, I was supported and protected by my parents in ways I never knew, and that’s why I am who I am today.

Now that I’m a parent, I want to make sure I never take away my children’s future with my own hands—and of course, never take away someone else’s future either. When I get irritated, I want to remind myself to stay calm and drive safely.

That said, as someone who drives a high-performance car like a Porsche and has felt my skills improve through driving school, I know I’m in the most dangerous zone for getting overconfident… so whenever I get frustrated, I’ll immediately picture my children’s faces.

Driving on the highway at night often brings up sentimental thoughts I wouldn’t have during the day—these days, that’s something I find myself reflecting on.