What It Means to be a Driver

Many people think that it’s okay to be on their phone as they’re driving or go over the speed limit for fun. What they don’t think about is the number of lives that they put at risk when they do such things. One second you can be driving on your phone and the next you can be responsible for someone’s death or even cause your own. Thats why it’s so important for drivers to educate themselves to drive with the priority to protect the lives of both them and those who share the road. Following road signs that indicate caution, speed limits, and directions as well as following laws that prohibit driving under the influence or on your phone is something that must be taught to people before they start driving so that they are aware and informed on the consequences that carelessness or ignorance can have.

To reduce the amount of deaths related to driving, a first step that can be taken is either redesigning the knowledge test taken for a permit or redesigning the test so that not only is there a check for understanding on what certain signs indicate but also a check for understanding for what the priorities must be when driving and what the consequences may be for not safe driving. Improving or redesigning the test encourages future drivers to read more about the rules and actually embed them into their minds instead of just winging the test because it’s something they can consider common sense. Additionally, to reduce the amount of deaths related to driving, there should be more speed checks throughout the roads so that police are alerted of high speeds that aren’t safe, more crosswalks on big roads in populated areas so that people have marked places where cars stop so they cross, and lower speed limits on populated areas to increase the time a driver might have to watch for potential pedestrians on the road and to prevent accidents.

When I was a little girl, my family would go to gatherings that were far. My dad would always drive us to and from. At the gatherings there would always be alcohol and my dad would always go over the limit and get drunk. In one instance, I remember that my family and I attended a 15th birthday party, a Quinceanera as it’s called in Spanish. When it was time to go, it was very late at night and my dad was very drunk. My mom knew how to drive but my dad insisted on driving and wouldn’t give up the car keys. So, with my mom, brother, and I in the car, my dad drove us home. Not only was my dad driving under the influence, which was already worrying and dangerous, but he was also driving in the rain at a high speed which could’ve caused a terrible accident. My mom would tell him to slow down but my dad wouldn’t listen as he would always drive recklessly. Thankfully, we got home safely, but my dad was completely out of it and even fell on the pavement, hitting his head. Yes, we made it home but just thinking about how all our lives could’ve been cut short makes me think about the irresponsibility of not only my dad’s drunk driving, but of other drivers who drive without thinking about what reckless driving can cost for them and others.

As someone who has recently been learning how to drive, I have informed myself of the rules of the road and that a priority that I need to have when driving is to keep a safe road environment to prevent tragic accidents. I read the full driver’s manual before I took my knowledge test so that I can know both about the road signs and also about the standards that I need to keep for driving on the road. As I continue to drive, some steps that I can take to ensure road safety is to follow the restrictions I have such as being required to drive with glasses, following speed limits and signs, staying alert and avoiding distractions, never drinking under the influence, always wearing a seatbelt, and checking my blind spots so that I don’t miss anything on the road. In addition to ensuring that I keep road safety as I’m driving, I can inform others about road safety. When someone is taking their knowledge test, I can encourage them to read the whole booklet, which is where I learned most about safety on the road. I can also remind them to wear a seatbelt and follow all of the rules of the road. You can’t call yourself a real driver if you only know your way around the roads because how can you be a driver if you’re don’t know how to put safety first?