On the Road Again: The Importance of Safe Driving

One minute I was glancing out the window watching the countryside pass by, listening to music on a bus with my lacrosse teammates, the next minute my head smashed into the seat in front of me; I was the victim of a multi-vehicle distracted driving accident. 

Driving is a wonderful freedom to be unlocked in young adulthood, but this does not come without risk. In 2024, there were around 42,514 deaths in the United States due to car accidents. Proper driver education can prevent these tragedies because it ensures new drivers understand road rules, reducing reckless behavior. Defensive driving education lessens the chances of car accident deaths, helping drivers anticipate potential hazards, react appropriately, and avoid collisions altogether.

In 2022, I was in a terrible bus accident while on the way to play in a lacrosse game at a neighboring school. Our team always travelled in two mini busses. Quite unexpectedly, the small bus ahead of mine was sideswiped by a distracted driver whose vehicle crossed into the wrong lane. The bus driver swerved to try to avoid the car and tipped onto its side, sending the passengers tumbling. Next, the distracted driver careened straight into the bus I was in head-on. The impact was shocking, but the aftermath was even more upsetting. As the players on my bus helped one another get out, we watched anxiously for minutes as no one emerged from the tipped bus. The girls from my bus, battered and bleeding, waited breathlessly for any signs of movement from the other bus, while our coach attempted to keep us calm. Finally, the driver and the girls on the tipped bus crept out. All my teammates and I suffered injuries that day- black eyes, cuts, and contusions- but miraculously no one was severely injured or killed. I had a serious concussion and whiplash, which made it impossible to attend several weeks of classes and I had to miss all the fun end-of-year activities at my school, which felt terrible at the time. Still, I was grateful that I would recover.

I had been planning to learn to drive that summer, and had really been looking forward to it, but after the crash I was too nervous to get behind the wheel. I didn’t trust that I would be able to keep others on the road safe enough. It took me a year of healing and months of driver’s education to finally get over my fears. When I finally earned my license, I was proud and determined to take the responsibility seriously. I came close to death because of a distracted driver and will never take the importance of safe driving for granted.

There are several steps everyone should take to be better and safer drivers. Learning and following all traffic laws is the first step. Participating in a defensive driving course is an excellent idea for improving driving technique. Avoiding distractions is one of the more vital steps. A driver should keep their cell phone silenced and put away while driving, perhaps in a zipped bag or in the glove box, to stop the driver from reaching for it. Another important aspect of making the roads safe is keeping a safe following distance from the car ahead of you, always making sure the car ahead of you is at least three seconds away from yours. A good way to do this is by counting how many seconds it takes for you to reach a landmark that the car in front of you has just passed.  If it is less than three seconds, you are too close to avoid an accident if the car in front slams on their breaks. When I model safe driving practices, I create a norm for the people around me, such as my little brother who is getting his permit very soon. I encourage all drivers to think of themselves as teachers when younger people are in the car. It’s also important to remember that it is always okay to speak up if a person who is driving the vehicle you are in needs to slow down or focus on the road.  If you ever feel unsafe when someone else is driving, let them know and encourage them to change the behavior. Remaining silent when others around you are being reckless makes you a part of the problem.

Driving safely is not only an important responsibility for your own health and safety, but it is vital to protect all lives out on the road. My experience as a victim of distracted driving accident has taught me the severity and consequence of being reckless behind the wheel. I count myself as lucky that I walked away from that accident, but I know that it changed me forever. All my teammates, our coaches, and our families were impacted that day, but it could have been far worse. By following the road laws and making it a personal obligation to keep your phone away while operating a vehicle, countless lives can be saved. Driving is an incredible opportunity for freedom, but it is also a monumental responsibility. Drivers must always be intentional and alert while driving. Through education and holding those around you accountable for fostering safe driving habits, we can make sure that preventable deaths and injuries do not happen.