July 13, 2020

July 13, 2020. That was the day that changed my life forever. I had no idea that it would be the last time that I would watch my father get into his truck and drive away.

The morning started off normal as any morning would. The smell of my mother’s freshly made waffles drift into my room. The euphoric smell awakens me, and I quickly head to my bathroom to freshen up before joining the rest of the house. I stroll into the kitchen, and awkwardly make eye contact with my dad. We had been fighting for the past few days and tensions were on the rise. I sit down at the dining room table and silently begin eating waffles. My father clears his throat, and our family begins in a seemingly friendly conversation. Before I know it a barrage of words comes flying down on me from my father. I am shocked. How did the conversation make such a sudden malicious turn? I walk away from the argument. My beatific breakfast was thoroughly over.

Thirty minutes later, my father left in his maroon 2001 Dodge Ram 1500. He was still infuriated from breakfast and was using a drive to help himself calm down. He did not come back. It was not until four days later that my family found out that he had been in a fatal car accident. Knowing what I know now, I would not have let him leave the house.

Driver’s education is extremely important to the safety of everyone. Looking back on my story, there are a lot of things that I wish that I knew at the time. For example, driving angry can increase one’s chances of breaking the law, acting overconfident, being aggressive towards others, and overall getting into car accidents. Had my family and I been enlightened on the hazards of driving while upset, we could have tried to persuade my dad out of driving that morning, and my father could still be with us today. My story shows the importance of driver’s education and safety. It is vital to learn as much as possible about how drivers can be safe on the road. Driver’s education could not only save our own lives but also the lives of those driving around us. Education saves lives.

Did you know that according to the Association for Safe International Road Travel, 1.35 million people (about the population of Maine) die in car accidents every year? Are all those accidents avoidable? That question has bugged me for quite some time now. From my cogitation and my research, I have devised three simple steps that anybody can take to reduce the number of car accidents and make the roads safer.

My first step for drivers is to educate themselves on how to be as safe as possible when driving. For example, most people do not know that (according to the World Health Organization) for every 3 miles per hour reduction in average speed, there is a 10% reduction in car crashes. This statistic shows that while it may be appealing to go over the speed limit, it causes an increase in your chances of getting in a car accident. Being an active learner in driver’s safety can help one assess different risks while driving and help them make the smartest and safest decision possible.

My second step is to make smart and responsible decisions. Once a driver has become an active learner in driver’s safety, they now have the responsibility of making the smart informed choices. For instance, it is widely known that driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol is very risky and unsafe. It is now the responsibility of informed drivers to make the knowledgeable decision to not drive. In summation, first drivers must inform themselves on driver’s safety and then make educated decisions based on their knowledge.

My third step is to inform and enforce. Informing and enforcing means that a driver should spread driver’s safety knowledge, and help other drivers make smart decisions. This can be telling a loved one to put on their seat belt because according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, seatbelts reduce chances of dying in a car crash by 45% and chances of injury by 50%. Taking this little step can save peoples’ lives and overall make the roads safer. All in all, once a driver has learned safety tips and has established themselves as a responsible driver, they should now help their fellow drivers, so we can all stay safe on the roads.

Being someone who has been directly affected by the destructive nature of vehicles, it is easy for me to make the decision to help the roads become safer. However, what I want is for everyone to help make the roads safe. I beg my audience to take a second to reflect on what it would be like to lose a loved one so suddenly much like what happens to 1.35 million people every year. The people losing their lives in car accidents are loved ones. They are our brothers, sisters, mothers, and fathers. They are our family. Taking my three steps can help save their lives. Being an active learner in driver’s education, making smart informed decisions, and informing and enforcing will help make not only you safer, but those around you safer too. Let’s help keep our people safe!