Life is a Highway: Drive Safely

Close your eyes. Imagine yourself driving in a car of your choice. Now picture this: you are on a highway, and you do not have your seatbelt on. You text your friend that you are on your way to their party. Next thing you know, you rudely blast Bon Jovi on the radio and speed up to a hundred miles per hour to compete. Finally, your car crashes into another person’s vehicle and you just got yourself into trouble. While it seems like you are having fun, those actions are considerably the most irresponsible and dangerous ways to get into a car accident which may lead to the driver’s untimely demise. Fortunately, we have a driving school that teaches us how to drive in a safe manner.

Driver’s education is where new drivers learn to operate their vehicles, especially when it’s their first time. Driving is nothing like those arcade games or the rides in theme parks where it’s seemingly easy to learn to drive. Driver’s education serves an important role in training the driver not only to drive safely on perplexing roadways, but also to follow traffic rules, practice defensive driving techniques, and become more responsible. For instance, driving school helps you practice driving at smooth and steady speeds and adapt to different times of day and weather conditions. Furthermore, driver’s ed can help yield to pedestrians and give the right of way when necessary, as well as expect signs and traffic lights constructed on the streets ahead. They can also help regulate emotions behind the wheel which can greatly impact the quality of driving. Finally, driving school can improve self-control to focus on the road, whether it’s resisting the urge to text, eat, and drink during a driving session. Driver’s training can therefore help us practice these tips for driving safely on the road and prepare for future driving sessions.

Here are a few steps to take to prevent further tragedies while driving. Taking advantage of the driver’s handbook and driving school can help us prevent driving-related deaths. Utilizing the vehicle’s features can also help, especially during the modern era where we live in a fast-paced world. It would be beneficial to turn on the headlights when you cannot see clearly. To clarify, the low-beam headlights can guide you through dark areas while the high-beam headlights can aid you through the fog. It is also crucial to buckle up at all costs. Seat belts are designed to protect the driver from colliding into hard objects, especially during an accident. Airbags are also built in the vehicle to protect you from a collision only if you are buckled. Signaling is another way to prevent driving-related deaths by showing other drivers and pedestrians where we are going. To set an example, if we are planning to turn or merge left, then we’re informing those outside our vehicle that we are turning or merging left. Last but not least, using the horn wisely can also prevent collisions which can potentially impact drivers’ lives. Following these tips during a driving session can guarantee our safety on the road including others’ well-being.

Growing up in California, it’s not uncommon for me to see reckless driving in my area. It was 3 in the afternoon, and I got out of high school from my last class during my freshman year. I was sitting in the back seat of our navy blue Honda with my parents driving when we were on our way to an after school center. We were not anticipating anything and we were only focused on heading straight to our destination. Suddenly, another vehicle struck our car from behind. We were startled by the sudden impact. Both us and the person operating the vehicle that ran into our car had to park to the side of the freeway. Fortunately, no one was hurt, and the vehicle was still functioning as usual. However, the vehicle had a large dent in the back from the impact of the other driver’s vehicle. It seemed as if the accident was inevitable, and our car had suffered irreparable injuries. The memory of the collision has stuck with me then and it stuck with me today. Despite this, I am very grateful to have family members who drive well to set wonderful examples, and I would eventually take the license test and take the wheel.

Let’s take a look at ourselves again, and this time we must make adjustments in our driving habits. First, we must drive whenever we are most awake and alert. To become more aware and have our sharpest senses, it would help to get plenty of sleep of at least eight to ten hours for teenagers and full-fledged adults. We should also focus on the road without distractions. For example, we must lower the radio volume to listen to noises outside our vehicles. We should put our phones away and ignore any calls or texts. Leave it on voicemail unless we are parked or finished driving. Furthermore, we must be sober when we operate our vehicles. Driving in possession of any substance in any way can impair our ability to drive and decrease our judgment. We must always make sure to leave our bottles and prescriptions at home. Most importantly, we should be a great role model to those we love and show them what it’s like to be a safe driver. Improving ourselves as a driver can benefit not only ourselves, but can also positively influence other people around us that we love.

Now we know the consequences of dangerous driving and how driver’s education can help us prevent reckless actions while driving. When we follow the traffic rules, hone our driving skills, and spread the message of dangerous driving across the globe, we can create a more orderly society. Anyone who has driven irresponsibly before can always do better in their next driving session as long as they are alive and well. As we practice driving in a safe manner, we will all strive to become safer, better, and wiser drivers.