The Dangerous Act of Driving

One wrong move and a life can be ended. People don’t think about the risks and the fatalities that can come from driving. Every day 19,937 car crashes occur in America. How can we change that? What is happening that is causing these tragic fatalities? What can drivers and I do to be safer on the road? These questions are some that could save a life if you think about them and apply them to your life.

Driver education is so important that new drivers and drivers in general know the consequences and the risks of driving. Taking the permit test, road, range, and the final driver’s test helped me obtain real-life experience and knowledge on all the road instruments. But last year a company came and spoke at my school. They talked about the main causes of car crashes, the serious injuries, specific stories, and how to prevent crashes. It opened my eyes to the actual dangers of the road and helped me realize I wasn’t invincible. Even though this presentation was over a year ago I still remember a specific statement the presenter said. She said, “Teenagers think they are invincible so they will run yellow lights, speed, and be reckless”. Most people, for example, will speed and if they don’t get caught will do it again because there are no consequences like getting pulled over or getting into a crash. I think about this often when I am driving and it makes me think twice about speeding or something like that. I believe that the studying and tests you have to take do educate new drivers but having speakers can open people’s eyes a lot.

From Jan 1, 2023, to Nov 12, 2023, there have been 256 fatal car crashes and 276 deaths. That is 276 families who have lost a loved one because of a car crash that could have been prevented. The number 1 reason car crashes occur is because of distracted driving. To fix this issue I think we need to have recurring reminders of what could happen. When we all first start driving we have the education but as we keep going on our journey and drive more some of the rules or reminders slip away. People may start to feel invincible. I think that having the reminder of safe driving can help save many lives. When prompting safe driving to adults they also need to be reminded to not be distracted by their phones, music, or other people. I believe that if we inform people again it will decrease the fatalities and deaths.

In February of 2023, I totaled my car. It had just snowed the day before and the snow plows went over the roads a couple hours before. The roads were icy but tolerable. My friend Colton asked if I wanted to go on a drive so we could talk. I agreed, picked him up, and drove for about 30 minutes before we got to the turn that would change my life. I was going 20 miles an hour not thinking about the ice on the road. My car started sliding and I didn’t know what to do. I was putting on the brake and steering the wheel away from the dumpster that was on the road. In an instant, the entire passenger side of my car was scrapping the corner of the dumpster. My side door mirror was taken off, the two doors on the passenger side were caved in and unable to open, my windows were shattered inside the car, and my alignment was off so my car couldn’t drive straight. After the wreck, I made sure Colton was okay and then I broke down crying. I couldn’t believe what happened and couldn’t believe it happened to me. We called my mom and she got a tow truck. After we got the night all sorted out I didn’t have a car and I was so scared to drive anywhere. I felt so lucky that no one was hurt but the thought of “what if that was another car with a person inside” wouldn’t leave my mind. My speed going around the corner could have affected someone else’s life entirely and I would have felt so bad. I apologized to Colton profusely after the accident but I still felt bad because of my driving he could be scared to drive now. From then on I have been a safer driver looking out for risks and thinking through every possible outcome. That day was so scary for me but I’m glad everyone is safe and the way this experience has made me a better driver.

Driving occurs in everyone’s day-to-day life, being safe is so important to make sure you get home safe and others do too. You’re not just driving for yourself, you’re driving for everyone around you. Having more education and remembering the consequences and risks of driving can make everyone a better and safer driver.