Name: Leah Voorhees
From: Philadelphia, PA
Votes: 0
Growing
up in New Jersey has taught me much about road safety, figure that.
My name is Leah Voorhees, I am a college freshman at Drexel
University, and I am a Jersey girl affected by dangerous drivers
daily. When you think of the Northeast, you could quite possibly be
thinking of how many people live in the area. Plenty of people,
plenty of traffic, plenty of dangers. Frustration is a common side
effect when dealing with the absurd amount of cars on the road.
However, death is a more notable state one can experience after
facing the hazards that come along with driving. Many of the said
hazards are the people behind the wheel.
New
Jersey is unique in that it is against the law to make a left at
almost all stop lights, so we use jughandles or U-turns.
Unfortunately that does not deter drivers from making the
aforementioned left turn. If people were aware of state and federal
laws regarding intersections, and roadways, there would not be nearly
as many accidents. Drivers ed is vital to get from Point A to
Point B safely and successfully. Being knowledgeable outweighs
anyone’s “it wouldn’t happen to me” mindset, since being
proactive is better than reactive. Know what to do before you do it.
For
many, drivers ed in high school was decades ago and information from
then has been forgotten. Yet, practice makes perfect. Practicing
better driving habits can save lives. Instead of rushing over the
speed limit, follow it, regardless of the tailgater behind you. Set
an example, and a pace for the flow of traffic. Know that slowing
down saves lives.
A
great thing that technology has brought us is the “Do Not Disturb”
feature on smartphones. A great time to utilize that is when driving.
Sources say that 26% of car accidents are caused by cellphones, about
1 in 4 car crashes. Distracted driving is the main cause of fatal car
accidents. If driving does not take your full attention, you are
doing it wrong.
Last
year, my best friend flipped her car three times after hitting a
telephone pole. I thought she was going to die. She swerved to avoid
a raccoon and overcompensated, hitting the pole, and flipped. Luckily
she was okay. That night taught me to be cautious of animals, watch
your speed around curves, and have a plan in case anything were to
happen.
On
Jersey roads, if you are not speeding, you are going too slow. It is
hard not to get caught up in the rush. I admit that sometimes I drive
over the speed limit. By making an effort to lower my speed, I can
drive more safely. Through patience with others and yourself, safer
roads are achievable. Focus 100% of the time you are behind the wheel
on driving, follow the laws, and be educated, know what to do before
you have to do it.
