Driving a Weapon

Driving
a Weapon

As teenagers we
await the day we turn sixteen. The age when we no longer have to have
our parents drop us off at school. A day when we truly learn
responsibility and we can work around our own schedule. However,
learning responsibility starts long before that, about two years to
be exact.

The day we start
drivers ed is very serious. We are learning how to take care of
ourselves, our car, and everyone around us. Drivers ed was
created in order to reduce the number of deaths that occur while
driving. It is intended to provide us with the knowledge, attitudes,
and skills needed to properly operate a vehicle safely. Multiple
studies have been done showing that teenagers that attend and pay
attention in drivers ed got a significantly less amount of
tickets and in less crashes than those that didn’t.

There are multiple steps that can be taken to reduce the number of
deaths related to driving. The first one has already been addressed,
making a conscious effort to learn. By paying attention in a maybe
boring drivers ed class, that is crucial in improving your
driving skills and making you a safe driver. However, learning does
not stop when your classes are over and you have passed your test. As
drivers, we are always learning from experience which is why it is
important that continue good habits like thinking about our
surroundings and paying attention to the road.

Almost a year into
driving I was in a fender bender. I was happy that it was not my
fault but angered that the person behind me was being irresponsible
and didn’t realize that people were braking hard in front of the
rail road tracks. It was a good experience learning how to get
someone’s insurance and taking pictures of the damage. Going to the
hospital to get my ribs checked for bruising and having my vitals
taken was not a good experience.

There are also
steps you can take you make sure you are staying a better and safer
driver as well as helping others. Everyone should always make sure
their cars are working properly. It is important to make sure all
your lights work, specifically break lights and signal lights. This
ensures optimum safety for you and others around you. Overall one of
the most important steps to take is by learning from your experience
and driving defensively. Once you have your license you should be
able to anticipate the actions of others. By searching for clues you
can predict the actions of those that act without communicating or
thinking.

Also, always wear
your seatbelt!