Be Considerate

Driving is a privilege many of us have in our everyday lives that we take advantage of. Everytime we choose to get into a car, we are putting ourselves at risk without having a thought about the consequences. When we choose to drive recklessly we put not just ourselves, but others on the road at risk as well. Driver’s education is a gift in our education system and we should be taking advantage of that opportunity to operate vehicles safely and prevent hurting others.

Learning how to drive properly is important to function on the road safely. Drivers Education teaches us what road signs mean, how to properly change lanes, safe speeds to go at, and so much more. Having this knowledge and practice can save lives. Having safe drivers on the road can prevent deaths because it prevents reckless behavior that could otherwise be extremely dangerous. We can prevent the number of deaths due to vehicles by educating new drivers along with older drivers still learning new things about the road, cars, and traffic. Our government can put programs in place to educate people on the safety of vehicles and what improper use of them can do. The government should also crack down on texting, eating, and being distracted while driving. Distractions are a major cause of car wrecks that end in injury or death. We should not normalize texting while driving or using our phones. New technology is an issue when it pertains to the rise in distracted driving.

I have had someone close to me in my family die in a car accident. They were a passenger in a car and the driver was distracted and lost control of the vehicle. Car accidents can happen in a split second and we must be hypervigilant of our surroundings and of the distractions that may occur. Being a young driver, I witness so many young people driving recklessly, not considering their life or other people’s lives that they may be putting in danger.

There are steps we can take as drivers to make sure we are properly operating vehicles and preventing accidents that may injure ourselves or others. We can start by educating ourselves on what road signs mean, on our signals, other drivers, and so much more. You have the choice to educate yourself or to not, and I think everyone could benefit from learning more than they currently know about driving. We can also practice safe driving habits such as putting our phones away to prevent distraction. Keeping our eyes on the road, not having the radio extremely loud, etc. We can continually practice these habits and they will prevent potential accidents caused by ourselves. Other safe driving tips can be to make sure your gas tank does not get extremely low, always using your blinker, and assuring that everyone has their seatbelt on. We should be stopping and really paying attention to the activities on the road because accidents can happen so incredibly quickly. A situation most people do not think of is driving while tired. Driving while tired can be disastrous. There are about 19,937 car crashes a day, and it can so quickly be you or someone you love. Being a considerate driver can save more lives than we could ever realize.

We as drivers can take time to practice safe driving habits, drive undistracted, pay attention to our surroundings, make sure we have proper insurance and licensing, and so much more. When we drive by ourselves we should think about how we would be driving with a child in the car. This would stop and make people think about the lives they are in control of while behind the wheel. We should slow down and truly think about the actions that could be taken that could hurt ourselves and others. The skill that we should all work on is remaining calm while driving. Remaining calm in situations where you are angry or scared is crucial to everyone’s safety on the road. The term “road rage” refers to the anger you exhibit when driving that is typically caused by another driver’s behavior. Controlling that rage is important to remain focused on the road to be prepared for situations you experience.

Driving is a privilege that we all take for granted. That privilege can be taken away quickly due to careless behavior. When we drive, we should be acting as people who are considerate and careful when driving. You should always think about the consequences of our actions and this should determine how we choose to drive safely on the road.