Flipped

I bounced on my toes, staring the landline into submission. My tia was supposed to call, she was already an hour late! The excited cries of Mikey yelling at Leonardo played through my clunky tv, I was the only one at school without a flatscreen. I bounced, and swayed, they’d call any moment! They didn’t, and so me and my dejected feelings turned around, and plopped right on to the couch.

Obviously, as soon as I sat down the landline rang, stupid thing. I ran the ten feet to the phone, and picked it up. My daddy taught me how to answer the phone properly, say “hello, this is the Bird residence. How may I help you today?” or was it ‘can’? Doesn’t matter, my tia won’t care if I answer right.

“HEY!” I excitedly greeted the ringer,

“Is this Mr.Bird?” a woman’s voice, I didn’t know, asked.

“No,” I sighed, quickly remembering my manners, “I’ll give you to him”. I let my hands fall to my sides. It was nearly my birthday, and the insurance, or whoever, was more readily calling then my playdate mate!

“Hey Daddy!” I called out to him. His hands were covered in suds, he’d made a delicious breakfast, and I still couldn’t reach the soap without standing on my tiptoes and pressing my ribcage into the sink ledge.

“Hmm?” He asked, looking over from the dishes.

“Lady for you” I muttered, reaching my hand out straight so he could take it from me. The man, like a heathen, didn’t brush his hands clean, merely taking it from me, and waving me out of the kitchen. I was happy to leave, but if they didn’t want to come, then TMNT was waiting for me! I sat down, sighing. I adjusted the pillows to rest behind my back just the way I liked, but as soon as I got comfortable, my dad called for me.

He had rushed out of the kitchen and was grabbing his keys, demanding I grab my shoes, and follow him.

Turns out the lady on the phone was a random, a random who was sitting with my injured mom. My injured pedestrian mother, who’d been flipped ten feet into the air by a gray car on her way back from the bakery.

That was the first day I understood what car safety really meant. Before that it meant I didn’t turn the lights on in the dark, and I couldn’t put on music when my grandpa was driving. It meant pbs kids PSA’s and “Don’t drink and drive kids”, a thing that to a New Yorker who’d been in a car less than 30 times, didn’t mean much. That was the day I learned to look behind me when crossing, not just to my side. That was the day I learned you don’t have to j-walk to be hit by a car. That was the day I learned a driver turning to look at a passenger, taking a sip of water, or eating a sandwich, was enough to destroy multiple lives.

Drivers education is only required in 32 states. People get hit or collide every day, it’s a part of life, but it doesn’t have to be. Studies show that 94% of motor vehicle accidents are a result of human error. Trooper.ny.gov states that 30% of car accidents are drunk driving, and a death every 30 minutes as a result. According to arashlaw.com you’re between 2 and 6 times more likely to get into an accident while interacting with a mobile device.

Drivers Ed is a vital part of taking care of a community. You need to learn how to follow the laws, (Did you know in NYC right on red is illegal without an exception sign), how and when to break, and really grasp the fact you are driving a 4 ton death machine. Drivers who’ve taken Drivers Ed have significantly lower rates of accidents (24%), tickets (75%), and dangers on the road. Drivers Education helps teach you how to handle possible accidents, and what commonly causes them. It teaches you to be comfortable in a motor vehicle, how to steer, brake, and use the gear shift just as easily as you’d walk. There are many times when going into public with discomfort in your skill is fine. You won’t hurt anyone by being the worst painter in a competition, or by not being comfortable with a conveyor belt as a cashier. Driving isn’t one of those, if you don’t know, people die.

Drivers Ed provides a safe environment to learn, as teachers have brakes and accelerators on the passenger side (where they’ll be sitting), they can and will walk you through being a complete beginner, who doesn’t ever know what PRNDL stands for. They’ll walk you through your first turns, and first trip on the highway. Drivers Educationin explains the most mundane to the important details. There’s no dumb questions in Drivers training, just curiosity.

Drivers Education is a vital thing in preventing what happened to my family, from happening to more. Drivers training is something everyone who drives/intends to, should invest in. It’s important and will save lives, and to the soon to be drivers who go “that won’t be me, I’ll be careful, I’ll take my time,” you can’t guarantee the future. Don’t rely on dumb luck, rely on smart luck with Driver Ed.