It’s Not A Cozy Coupe

I was sure that driving a real car would be just like driving the big red toy car I had when I was five. I had joyful memories of scaling turns at full speed and staying upright, and I had no doubt that once behind the wheel of a real car I would be a fabulous driver. I had visions of myself signaling, making turns, and always keeping up with the flow of traffic. It wasn’t until my 16^th birthday that I eagerly sat behind the wheel and had the realization that driving a real car is hard! My mother still likes to tell anyone within earshot about how I would accelerate going into turns in my first few weeks, nearly crashing into several unsuspecting neighbors and mailboxes. I was not exactly the Formula One driver I had envisioned, and I suspect that many people on the road are currently poorly equipped to be drivers.

Sadly, during my freshman year of high school, my beloved high school principal died in a car accident. It was a sunny Saturday morning, and he was driving his son to soccer. As Mr. Hughes moved through an intersection, a careless driver blew through a red light, and hit the side of Mr. Hughes’s car, killing my principal instantly. The impact of his death on my school is enormous, and I frequently think of his son who had to witness the traumatic event and then grow up without a father.

These kinds of senseless accidents need to stop happening. I think there are three main ways to reduce the number of car accidents and deaths. One is to improve driving laws, roads, and intersections to enhance safety. Another is to enhance one’s own driving skills, and the third is to be a positive influence on drivers whose cars you are in.

In terms of community-level changes, I believe that we need to continue to evolve our traffic patterns and lights/stop signs. We also need stricter penalties for poor driving and for driving under the influence. I have heard several stories of people with multiple DUIs getting their license back, which only endangers the public.

I think drivers’ education play a critical role in enhancing one’s own driving skills. Once I began to learn to drive, I understood that as a driver you are not only responsible for maneuvering your car, but you need to be in control of what is happening inside your car, as well as doing your best to manage the outside environment, including other drivers. I live around Philadelphia, so trust me, there are some pretty dangerous drivers! This responsibility simply can’t be learned through sitting in a car while others drive. Understanding how a car works, how traffic flows, and what road signs mean are all critical to being a good driver. Being careful and cautious, driving defensively, and minimizing distractions are also important. Drivers’ education is critical for this. The drivers’ education course I took was absolutely essential in helping me to be the careful driver I am today.

I believe that to reduce the number of accidents on the road, I can personally do several things. The first is to minimize distractions. I don’t eat or text while driving, and I follow the guidelines to only have one other friend in the car with me. The second thing to do is to pay attention and anticipate. It is my job as a driver to be scanning the road and understanding what is happening so that I can make educated guesses about how others will behave. The next thing is to be ready to react. When something I didn’t anticipate occurs, being alert and able to react quickly is critical. Keeping my car safe and ensuring everyone wears seatbelts is also important.

Helping other drivers to be better is also important. Programs like DmvEdu.org are critical. I also believe I can help others be safer on the road. With my friends, I try to remain calm and quiet while they drive. I let them know that we’re not in a rush, and encourage them to follow the speed limit. I try to share with them things I have learned or seen as well. In addition, I have let my friends know that I won’t ride in cars with anyone who texts while driving, which I hope discourages them from doing so, and I will be happy to call my parents for a ride if any driver is ever intoxicated. I also recommend my drivers’ education course to everyone.

I see kids my age making a real impact on the world, and challenging the status quo every day. Look at Greta Thunberg for instance. My generation refuses to do things “just because” and I hope that we will be the generation to begin to impact driving statistics. We can and should learn to be the best generation of drivers yet, and I hope that I can lead the way for that to happen.