Ways to become a better driver.

There are many benefits and dangers that come with driving a vehicle. If used responsibly, they can be a major help to get places in a timely manner, but if not handled with caution, vehicles can be deadly. I have experienced both sides of being behind the wheel and have learned a lot from my time driving.

When I was sixteen, I was in an accident at a stop sign while turning left. I had been sitting there for a while and had looked both ways, but I didn’t look back left before I started to turn. I felt a boom and my car was flipped around facing the opposite way than I was turning, and smoke was coming from the hood and the airbags deployed. I first looked to my two little brothers who were just as much in shock as I was, and I slowly asked them what happened and if they were okay. Once we settled down, we realized we had just collided with a car. Thankfully, there was a cop right down the road running radar on people driving down the road. He came and checked on me and my brothers and on the other people involved in the collision. The officer didn’t have to ask many questions about the wreck as he had witnessed it all firsthand. The officer even admitted that I had stopped at the stop sign and done everything right by law up until the collision, and that I had just failed to see them coming. Thankfully everyone involved was okay beside a few minor bruises and aches. This wreck, however, opened my eyes to the danger of driving even if you do everything correctly or if your concentration lapses for even a second it can cause you to end up in a collision that not only affects you but affects the other people in the accident. For me it was very scary because my two little brothers were in the car with me and could’ve been hurt badly; I also realized that the driver of the other car could have been injured badly because of me, and it all would have fallen on my hands. This wreck made me realize the seriousness and obligation to be paying attention at all times while behind the wheel, not just for my safety but for the safety of others.

There are a few things I could have done to avoid that accident that day. First, I should have left early. The earlier you leave for something the less rushed and panicked you feel which then allows you to focus on driving to your best ability. Second, I should have checked both ways again to make sure there wasn’t a car coming. It is better to be safe than sorry. Third, I should not worry about the cars behind me. I felt like I needed to go because it was rush hour and there was a huge line behind me of cars waiting to turn left, and I felt pressured to go quickly. I should have ignored the line behind me and waited until I was completely comfortable with completing the turn and knew I could do so in a safe manner.

There are a few things that coincide with being a good driver and enhancing your skills further. One of these things is being aware of your surroundings constantly. If you are aware of your surroundings, you will be better equipped to react to any danger and prevent an accident. A good help to prevent accidents is to put your phone down while driving. Texting or being on your phone is insanely distracting and can take away the few seconds extra you need to react or even cause you to miss someone or something in the road completely and end up hurt or worse. One of the best ways to stay aware is to always check your mirrors every seven or so seconds. Another way to prevent an accident is to know the law. If you know the law. you will know who has the right of way and who yields and be able to discern how to proceed to prevent an accident. One other thing to stay aware is to look both ways multiple times before turning. It is better to be certain when turning and pulling out of a turn so make sure you have plenty of time to complete the turn safely.

Driving can be fun and can be a helpful way of transportation if used correctly. Abiding by the law and having good awareness of what’s going on are just two of the things to make you a safe driver. Driving can also be deadly and dangerous as seen with my story where one wrong move caused an accident.