Name: Isabelle Breese
From: Spokane, WA
Votes: 0
Isabelle
Breese
11-19-2019
Scholarship
Essay
Driving
Creating
Sustainable and Safe Driving Habits
Driving
safely is a conversation that is not often brought up outside of the
Drivers Ed classroom. However, driving is a practice that the
majority of adults participate in. Casualties from this activity run
rampant in America, yet we remain silent. It’s time to bring this
discussion to the forefront of our minds. The first way to do this is
to increase the importance of learning Drivers Ed thoroughly.
So
many of us have sat through the class, studied for the test, got our
license, and forgot most everything we learned. This is contributing
to the rising death toll brought on by unsafe driving. Making sure
that people are well-educated when it comes to matters of the road
must be a priority if we are going to continue to protect our
population. The more people retain from Drivers Ed, the safer they
will be, both to themselves and to others. We have the ability to
impact the safety of those around us—we must emphasize a more
rigorous standard of drivers ed. Only then will the roads
become safer.
One
of the biggest causes of death when it comes to driving is driving
under some kind of influence. Whether that influence be alcohol,
drugs, sleep loss, or general distractedness, it’s affecting the
number of casualties strongly. A very practical way we can step up
and make sure that we are all driving safely and with full
consciousness of mind is to plan ahead. If you are going to be up
late the night before and anticipate being tired in the morning, plan
on calling an uber or carpooling with a friend. If you are going out
drinking or hanging out with a friend who you know does drugs—make
a plan. Set a designated driver who you trust to remain sober and
take care of making sure everyone gets home safely. Have a backup
plan in place in case that friend caves and doesn’t remain sober.
If you notice that there’s a lot on your mind and you aren’t
focusing very well, either take a couple minutes and focus up, or
find a different ride. The most important thing is to have some sort
of alternative way to drive to wherever you need to go in the event
that you ever find yourself unable to.
I
have been in the car with friends who drove very irresponsibly.
Speeding, taking corners very quickly, swerving, etc. It was quite
terrifying to be in an environment that had the potential to both
hurt me very badly and hurt someone else in the same way. Not only
would I no longer get in a car with any friend that made me feel so
uncomfortable and unsafe, I would encourage others not to as well.
The best way I can make sure I’m driving
safely always is to know my own limits and have a backup plan in
place if I ever reach those limits. Re-educating myself about rules
of the road and safe driving techniques is equally as important. I
can also encourage my friends to do the same and let them know if I
feel uncomfortable or unsafe driving around them. Above all, it’s
important to remember the impact that you can have on others if you
aren’t careful. The thought of taking someone else’s life or
permanently injuring them in some way is a sobering reality. This
reality is one that should always be remembered and understood before
stepping foot in a car.
