DR. WALLACE: My father works in the insurance industry and he's always telling me to be a safe driver, even though I feel that I already do, especially for a 17-year-old guy. I have a sister who is 18 and a half and attends college, and my father never says a word to her about her driving skills, habits or anything related to the subject as far as I know.

Why is it that my father rides me so much about this? He also likes to quote statistics that say teenage male drivers are more dangerous on the roads than teenage female drivers are.

Is this true? Or is he just trying to needle me in a strange effort to bond with me? — Decent Teen Male Driver, via email

DECENT TEEN MALE DRIVER: I would have to say that your father is correct. I've seen many studies over the years and every single one of them indicated that teenage male drivers are more likely to speed on the roadways, are more likely to drive recklessly and are also more likely to not wear seatbelts than teenage female drivers are.

On top of all of that, when the topic of alcohol is involved, studies also indicate that a significantly larger percentage of teenage male drivers have admitted to driving a motor vehicle after consuming alcohol than female drivers have.

It's not necessarily that the guys are lacking in driving skills, but many of them suffer from peer pressure and machismo, which often causes them to make poor judgments and drive recklessly to show off in front of their friends or their female companions.

I'M NOT CONNECTING IN THESE CLASSES

DR. WALLACE: I'm a high school senior and overall, I'd say that I've been lucky enough to have had some great teachers during my high school years. I'm planning to go on to college next year and I consider myself to be a solid but not perfect student. My typical grade is a B, and I like a wide variety of subjects in school.

The reason I'm writing now is that I have two very strange and poor teachers this year! They are nice individuals, but I must tell you that I don't like their classes and I find it hard to parse the information they present in class.

Why are some teachers so much better than others? How can I deal with teachers that I find hard to learn from? — I'm Not Connecting Very Well, via email

I'M NOT CONNECTING VERY WELL: Teachers do indeed have their own unique styles and approaches to the subjects they teach. I advise you to look at this situation not in terms of good or poor teachers, but in terms of styles and methods they use.

In my experience, it's always best to seek to make a connection, especially with teachers that you find more challenging to follow than others. The teachers you click with leave you comfortable and usually no further interaction is necessary. But when you find a teacher's style or approach difficult, it's best to meet with that teacher one-on-one to ask for tips, ideas and approaches that can help you to connect better in class and with the subject matter at hand.

All teachers bring something valuable to their classrooms, so look at these two classes as a challenge and seek to approach them in a manner that is both suitable for you and that produces the desired results of overall comprehension and a passing grade. Sometimes the most awkward classes you experience prepare you best for your future career(s) as life beyond high school is not always smooth, especially in the workplace. So step up and accept these classes as the preparatory opportunities that they are for you.

Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers. Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually, he will answer as many as possible in this column. Email him at rwallace@thegreatestgift.com. To find out more about Dr. Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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