What I Treasure About Teaching My Son to Drive

“As a general rule, you should keep your hands at 10 and 2,” I say. My son nods solemnly, adjusting his hands on the steering wheel, the vinyl gone shiny with use and age. “Make sure you can see out of the rearview and side mirrors. Always keep an eye on the temperature gauge – if it goes over halfway, pull over. If it goes into the red, you’ll be walking.” This is, I realize, the same advice I was given, years ago.

Our car is a little red island anchored on an empty sea of asphalt. To my lef...