In the Driver’s Seat: Guide to Safe Driving

Out of the three high schools in my school district at the Plymouth-Canton Educational Park: Salem High School, Canton High School, and Plymouth High School, they each have approximately 1,900 students enrolled, nearing a total of 6,000 students. Being in a distracted state whilst operating a vehicle has been capturing the lives of more than 3,000 individuals each year for decades now. That is more than half of the students who attend PCEP. When I put that into perspective, I could for sure not imagine half of my classmates and peers who once attended my school gone forever because of someone’s careless driving habits. Whether it’s texting on your phone, messing with the radio, eating, talking to your passengers, being under the influence, etc., just one second of distracted driving can result in irreversible consequences such as suffering horrific injuries, or even putting the end to someone’s life just because you weren’t focused enough on the road.

In the United States of America, it is required throughout our states that a person must be educated well enough to become eligible to receive their driver’s license. In most cases, parents’ will sign their minor up for a Driver’s Education course once they are of age to do so, which varies from state to state. In Michigan, there are two required segments of Driver’s Ed courses to be eligible to get your graduated license if you are under the age of 18. Taking both of the courses and passing the corresponding written and driving test, has taught me so much about not only driving, but road etiquette, what to do in possible ‘what if’ scenarios, how to be a good driver, and so much more. Before taking these courses, I thought driver’s ed was a waste of time because how hard could driving really be? Left pedal is a brake, the one on the right is gas, and the occasional one on the far left is the clutch. I figured that was all I needed to know, but after sitting through these classes I have learned so much that I would never have figured I needed to know.

In the last 30 years, Michigan has upped their requirements for children under the age of 18 to be able to receive their driver’s license. The old requirements called for the person to be 15 years old, to complete the single course, and to have about six months of driving experience, then pass the written and driving test to be able to get their license once they turn 16. In efforts to create safer drivers on the road, in 1997 the state of Michigan changed their rules and regulations and now has pushed back the minimum age to start driver’s ed to 14 years and 8 months old, creating more time for children to learn and prepare in classrooms before getting put out onto the roads. This two-segment course requires a total of 30 in-class hours, and a total of 60 driving hours between the two segments to ensure that we are putting out safe, educated, and reliable drivers into the world by the time they become of age to get their license. The 60 required hours of driving with their parents ensures that they will have enough practice to navigate the road on their own. By taking these classes, I have learned so many ways to prevent being distracted while driving. For example, if one ever feels like they are about to fall asleep at the wheel, the best and safest option is to pull over, and perform actions to regain consciousness. Maybe it’s getting out to stretch your legs, eating a quick snack, getting some sips of water, whatever it is to ensure that you have laser straight focus while operating your vehicle. To avoid adding to the extreme number of over 3,000 deaths caused by distracted drivers, another way you can practice safe driving is to put your phone out of your sight. Silencing your phone, powering it off, or putting it on Do Not Disturb will all allow you to minimize the distractions you may face inside your car while you are driving.

From my personal experience, I can definitely say that I have had my fair share of times when I have been distracted by my surroundings while driving. My friends, phone, radio and even food have all caused me to fall victim to distracted driving at least once. I recognize that, and am making it my personal goal to become a focused driver, and have no distractions. Answering a quick text, or changing the station is not worth sacrificing someone’s life over. With population increases and added infrastructure in towns, roads are becoming busier and more crowded than ever before. This makes driving dangerous enough. When you add distractions into the mix, it is easy to see how accidents happen so frequently. That’s why I have vowed to be a more attentive driver and a more courteous passenger from here on out.