Harsh Reality: The Truths of Driving

I can say from my peers and me, that when we all first started driving it was all sweaty hands and eyes locked, on the road, buried in concentration. The fears of what could happen running through our brains encourage us to pay attention as well as be passive drivers, you never know who else is on the road with you. That being said, there are people on the road whom you can easily identify as not practicing safe driving techniques. Whether it is distracted driving or confusion with street signs, I feel getting the proper driver education is crucial for the safety of yourself and others on the road. The plentiful abundance of opportunities to obtain the proper driving education can be made available to everyone if looking in the right places. There are many books, apps, tests, and school classes explicitly for driving education. I do acknowledge that some of these resources cost money, but many come at no expense. Skills do not come easy and are learned, if not taught correctly and properly practiced there could be serious consequences. From texting and driving to sliding on frozen-over roads people need to know what to do. Some steps that can be taken to reduce the number of deaths related to driving are staying focused, driving cautiously, obeying traffic signs, and most importantly encouraging friends and loved ones to practice this behavior.

I have experienced a pretty serious car accident. It was the summer of 2020, my first summer driving. I was on the highway while it was undergoing heavy construction, the one three-lane road was now one-lane. Adding to the busy highway, it was five o’clock in the evening on a Sunday. The construction had backed up the highway so terribly that traffic was at a halt. At the time, I had just stopped in the back of the line, and being the worried driver I was, I coincidentally looked in my rearview mirror and saw that the SUV behind me was still going substantially fast. A terrible feeling filled my gut as worst-case scenarios crossed my mind. Are they going to stop? Do I move out of the way? If I pulled off to the right side would there be people on the ramp trying to take the exit and would they see me? I know technically you pull off to the right side but would it be okay to pull off the left side of the road because of the circumstances? I just did not know, so I froze. The car was coming straight for me and I froze, unaware of the next move that should have been taken. There I sat scared and afraid listening to when the SUV finally realized traffic was stopped and slammed on its brakes. Me a fourteen-year-old girl listening to the brakes lock up and scream. Everything felt like it was moving in slow motion. I did have a passenger and she was frozen up just like me. All I could think about was, “Am I going to be the cause of her and my own either serious injuries or deaths?”. Thoughts of my family and friends crossed my mind. Petrified, I watch the car get closer and closer, brakes still screeching. Boom. The sound of metal crunching, rubbing, and mashing together filled my ears. Feeling the force, my body tried flying forward but thank the lord I had my seatbelt on. Time paused for a second, and my brain tried to process what just happened. Thankfully, I gave the car in front of me enough space so I didn’t fly into them on impact. I asked myself many questions. What was the damage? My passenger and I were okay, but was it the same for people in the other car? I pulled my car off to the left side as at the moment I didn’t want to fight the traffic trying to take the exit. The other vehicle involved was able to pull off to the right. I called the first person who came to my mind, my mom, Brianna. Then after filling her in on what happened, I dialed 911, calling the authorities. I feel in this situation the driver of the other car and I could have been better educated on driving education and safety. The other car inevitably had to have been distracted to have not noticed traffic in front of him was stopped. Therefore, injuring property and the people in his car and mine. I, on the other hand, should have known what to do in those situations and steps to take after these accidents happen.

Plenty of times I have seen friends and my family driving irresponsibly, the most common reason is cell phones. Texting, using Snapchat, and calling or video calling are all distractions while on the road. My friend, Tatum, stated when she first started driving she was terrified to crash and either get seriously hurt or die. She believes she is so used to driving that she does not pay as much attention as she used to and she will admit she likes to be on her phone and texting and driving is common for her. Without any incidents, people start to believe it will not happen to them and that they are well enough drivers to operate their cellular devices behind the wheel.

Steps I can take to be a better and safer driver as well as help others become safer on the road are one thing to think safely first. Try avoiding aggressive and inattentive driving tendencies. Another thing is to not depend on other drivers, you never know who is on the road with you so pay attention to your surroundings. Also, keep your speed down. Speed limits are not suggestions they are there to try and maintain safe and ideal driving conditions. Lastly, cut out your distractions. Answering that text isn’t worth injuring yourself and possibly others.