Name: Jhade Lassiter-Jones
From: Canton, Georgia
Votes: 0
Stop
Accidents Before They Stop You!!
Jhade
Lassiter-Jones
Driving and Dying
I
know for a fact that drivers ed is important before you start
getting on the road. If you are unaware of the different rules of the
road driving can be unsafe for you and others. Drivers ed
helps you learn the laws that will keep everyone safe. Their purpose
is to instill you with the knowledge and skills needed for vehicle
safety both as a driver and pedestrian. According to the Georgia
Department of Transportation, 70% of fatalities in crashes are
caused by unsafe driving behaviors, including distractions,
impairment or driving too fast for conditions. 1,514 people died on
Georgias roads in 2018, an average of 4 deaths per day. The
primary culprit? Preventable crashes caused by unsafe behaviors. 17%
of fatalities were pedestrians.
Steps to Prevention
There
are multiple ways to decrease the percentage of deaths related to
driving. According to Jayne Ubl of Drive Safe Ride Safe there
are five main steps to safe driving.
1-
Keep your vehicle in top condition
You want to always make sure your vehicle is working
properly to prevent any accidents that can be caused by a mishap of
your car. Make sure your brakes are working properly, your tires
are properly inflated and your windows are clean.
2-Anticipate
the actions of others
You should always be aware of your surroundings on and off the
road. When your driving you want to be able to train yourself to
sense other drivers behaviors. Many drivers often act without
thinking or communicating, so you must learn to search for clues.
3-Take
steps to protect yourself and others
The rules of the road are not in place for no reason, there
their to protect you. Wearing your seatbelt can save you and your
passengers from death or serious injury. There are other steps you
can take to protect yourself such as turning on your headlights at
all times so it’s easier for others to see you.
4-Drive
only when you are in sound physical and mental condition
You have to be fully aware of your actions and those
around you when your driving. If your overly stressed or tired it
could distract you from driving. Check yourself to make sure you
feel alert and clear headed [before you get on the road].
5-Make
a conscious effort to develop your driving skills-
We are all not perfect in anything. We all make constant
mistakes. Just because you have your license doesnt mean you
shouldnt stop learning. If you notice someone driving
improperly or recklessly, take note, and see if you can try to avoid
these things. The more you take driving seriously, the better
driver you will become.
Personal Experience
Around the year of 2013 I was on my way to softball practice. It
wasn’t mandatory but I really wanted to go. It was raining
tremendously outside. We got into the car, buckled our seatbelts and
set off. As we were driving down the highway the rain got harder. We
approached a light on a four way intersection that had just turned
green. Unfortunately a guy tried to speed his way through the red
light and we hit him. Before the actual crash happened, I remember
hearing my mom gasp before not hearing anything at all. The crash was
very dramatic. My body lunged forward as the airbag pushed me back.
The shock of the accident and the impact from the airbag left me
unconscious for a couple seconds. When I came to, I could just hear
myself screaming that I was sorry to my mother and feel blood gushing
out of my mouth. I couldn’t move my legs and we couldn’t get the
doors open. The car itself starting smoking and I was just
continuously apologizing to my mom. The crash attracted a lot of
attention, especially since we were still stuck in the car.
Eventually people got out of their cars to try to help us out. We got
out right on time because when we were safe, the engine of the car
caught on fire. When we got to the hospital we found out that the guy
that caused the crash was unconscious and had a gash on his forehead.
My mom had to go to the chiropractic for her neck and her back. My
legs were severely bruised and my lip was busted from the airbag. I
had to get an MRI for my knee because I couldn’t feel it. I had to
walk on crutches for a little bit until my legs healed some. I
remembered being upset because there was an ice skating trip I was
eligible for and I couldn’t even attend. When my legs started to heal
I learned that I had fluid in my knee and I had to wear a knee brace.
I was supposed to go back to the doctor after I took the knee brace
off but I never did and to this day I can not feel the lower part of
my right knee. I found out recently that a nerve is damaged which
could be the cause of the numbness. After the crash, my mom had asked
me, why were you continuously apologizing? Did you think you were
going to die? At first I had apologized because I was the one that
suggested we went to a non mandatory practice. My dramatic mind did
think we were going to die so I told her that I was also apologizing
for all the pain and struggle I caused her throughout my life.
Steps to Safe Driving
I do not have my license or my permit yet but I try to be helpful
when being in the cars with others. The crash made me way more aware
of safe driving and riding. I used to get paranoid when being on the
road and scared whenever my mother pushes on the breaks a little too
hard. When I am riding with friends or family, I try to keep a daily
reminder about seatbelts and I ask my mom if she needs me to adjust
the passenger mirror. When riding with my younger siblings I keep a
safe eye on their activities in the back seat. If I notice too much
moving that could distract the driver or the removal of their
seatbelts I quickly correct the problem by telling them what their
doing wrong, how’s it unsafe, and what they can do to fix it.
Works cited
DriveAlert
ArriveAlive. Safety
Operation,
Georgia Department of Transportation,
http://www.dot.ga.gov/DS/SafetyOperation/DAAA.
Ubl,
Jayne. Five Ways to Reduce Your Risk When Driving. Drive
Safe Ride Safe,
Blue Lake Websites, 4 Jan. 2019,
https://drivesaferidesafe.com/five-ways-to-reduce-your-risk-when-driving/.
