Name: Miah Lowman
From: Bradenton, Florida
Votes: 0
“I
don’t need my license, I’m a good driver!” This is a quote from
my now deceased friend. The irony is that these same words were a
contributing factor to her death. It’s funny how the world can use
your words against you.
In
school nowadays, it is seen as “cool” to be driving anywhere you
want, especially when you are too young to even have a license. This
applied to my friend, who would arrive to school or friend outings
driving her mom’s car at only the age of fifteen. The “cool kid”
reputation she looked to received is what caused her death. Because
she did not wait until she was old enough to get her permit, she did
not gain the proper education about driving. According to a study
conducted by AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, drivers
without a
valid license are
responsible for 20 percent of all automobile
accidents. This means that on average, a car accident with unlicensed
driver cause about 8,400 deaths in
the U.S. per
year.
Getting
the right education on driving when getting your license will help
people to be better and safer drivers, reducing their chance of
getting into a car crash. When going through the courses, it teaches
you the proper safety cautions when driving. Not only does it teach
you how to avoid causing a crash, it trains you on ways you can spot
an oncoming crash and tips to avoid them. Because my friend didn’t
learn these tips, she didn’t develop the skills to spot the signs
of a drunk driver who crashed into her car. If she would’ve taken
the drivers ed courses, like the woman who was in the car
in the next lane, she would have been able to detect the swerving and
reckless driving, and she would have known how to get away from the
drunk driver.
Along
with my friend, the drunk driver who also died because of the crash
was also underage. Every
day, 29 people in the United States die in motor vehicle crashes that
involve an alcohol-impaired driver. Drinking and driving is a major
cause of crashes. Drinking underage while driving is even more fatal.
Drivers under the age of 21 represent about 10% of licensed drivers
in the U.S. but are responsible for 17% of fatal alcohol-involved
crashes. Because he was drinking and driving while under age, that
driver put many people lives at risk, and ultimately ended his and my
friends.
You
should not drive if you are not licensed to do so. And even if you
are licensed, I advised you to remember the tips and lessons you
learned in the drivers ed courses every time you get behind
a wheel. Remembering ways to avoid oncoming crashes and avoid causing
one yourself, like not drinking before you drive, will help reduced
your chances of getting into a crash. And it will also help others
that are on the road with you from possibly losing their life.
