Safe Driving for a Safer Society

As many people know there are tens of thousands of deaths caused by driving every single year, and the sadness that this statistic brings to our country is overwhelming. As we go about our daily lives it is crucial that we consciously choose safe driving in order to ensure not only our well being, but the well being of others around us. One way to increase safety and reduce deaths is to receive proper driving education; this education helps people learn various road signs, what the driving laws are in a certain state, and helps make sure that the driver feels prepared and confident to drive in both city and rural areas. Without this education the chances of having a crash increase significantly because people are not as well prepared. There is nothing that compares to being fully educated on a topic, especially one that can help save other people’s lives. Besides receiving a proper drivers education there are some simple, yet immensely effective, steps that people can do to reduce fatality. Some of them include practicing driving with another safe and experienced driver, wearing a seat belt, not driving while under the influence of drugs and alcohol, not driving when fatigued, knowing tips for driving in poor weather conditions, not using a cellphone while driving, and making sure that the vehicle you are driving is safe and working properly. If everyone follows these steps, receives a good driver’s education, and follows state and federal driving laws then together we can keep each other safe.

I have been in a car accident before and it was a shocking experience. When I was on a trip to Florida with my family in 2022, we were driving back from the beach and had to cross a large bridge that had a curve in the middle, meaning that the driver, my dad, could only see one side of the bridge. As we were making our way to the other side of the bridge my dad had to immediately slam on the brakes because right in front of us was a stopped car and a man changing his tire. We did not crash into the car, but we did get very close to it. My dad got out of the car to try to help the man quickly put his tire on, and move the car out of the road so it could be properly fixed. Just as they were placing the tire on the car another car came zooming down the bridge and hit our car because they could not see us from behind the curve. My mom, brother, and I all jumped as the car jolted forward, but luckily we had a basket on the back of the car so the damage was only a squished basket. My mom quickly realized that the other cars could not see the situation as they were crossing the bridge meaning that other cars would crash after they got past the curve. She quickly got out of the car to try and signal to the other cars to move around us, but she was not quick enough because another car hit the car that already hit us. At this point my mom was hysterical, my dad was trying to help the man as quickly as he could, and my brother and I were still in the car. I had to quickly grab my brother’s hand and tell him to get out of the car because I did not know how fast any other cars were going that could potentially crash into us. My mom ran behind all the crashed cars and started moving some construction barrels in the road to show oncoming cars that they needed to avoid the area, but in order for her to do that she had to get in the middle of the road. I was so worried that a driver may accidentally hurt her, and my brother was so scared because we were on a tall bridge with cars crashing into us. The only thing I knew to do was pray for help. Thankfully, soon the cars started to notice and my mom was safely out of the road, the police came and everything was resolved. In the end no one was hurt, but it gave us all a terrible fright.

I also know people who have been in a car crash, and sadly they seem to never have fully recovered emotionally from the horror they saw as they watched their friends die before them. I feel so sorry for anyone that has ever had to be in a car crash or be close to someone who was injured in one. Additionally, I know several people that drive irresponsibly, and I frequently encourage them to make safer choices, not only because I care about our safety, but I also want all the people on the road to be safe. Some steps I personally take include the ones that I listed earlier in the essay and I also constantly make sure to self analyze my driving skills to make sure they are safe, smart, and responsible. After thinking more about safe driving I realized that I can also stay up to date on new driving laws and educate myself on other tips and new research that could help me in a potentially dangerous driving situation. I hope that everyone will learn to be safe drivers and make choices to reduce the number of deaths and injuries caused by car accidents. Even though some accidents may be difficult to prevent, there are ways that everyone can become a better diver.