Endangerments and Precautions to Take While Driving

When people wonder why they must be safe while driving, they often do not understand the potential consequences of their actions. Driving education gives the child a comprehensive understanding of what could happen if deaths were prevented. It helps reduce reckless driving behaviors, prevent accidents, and save others’ lives. It is important to be cautious whenever on the road no matter how long you have been driving. In 2022, there were 42,795 fatal motor vehicle collisions out of the whole United States. There are 118 deaths per day from car accidents. The main cause of car crashes is distracted driving. There have been more than 96,000 crashes in Texas because of this issue. Another huge issue is driving while intoxicated, which should never have been an option in the first place. Drunk driving is a reckless endangerment of you and the people that surround you. If you are drunk or ever plan to get drunk have a plan beforehand, do not go past your limit, and let someone who is not drunk drive instead of you. Everyone should always wear a seatbelt, make sure everyone is buckled up before you leave. Children under the age of thirteen should not sit in the passenger seat. Before I was born my godparents had lost their only daughter, she was only eighteen years old, she was pregnant at the time, and her fiancé was in the car with her. Two drunk drivers had lost control and hit them, the car had caught on fire, and they all died. Even though everyone might have been buckled and safe, there were still two people who did something they never should have done. They were driving while intoxicated and it cost the lives of two teenagers and an unborn baby. My dad drives irresponsibly but also manages to stay safe, he constantly changes lanes and has even taken the risk of changing lanes in the middle of an intersection which is something you should never do because it is a potential risk to the lives of not only yourself but others as well. One time I was pulling into a tanning salon, and I was getting ready to stop, next thing I knew was that I had accidentally hit the gas instead of the break. Even though no one was hurt it was still something that should never have happened, I was only fifteen years old, and it happens to everyone, but that does not matter. I should have been more careful and paid more attention to what I was doing. Another prime example is this friend of mine who had gotten into a car wreck last year, was in the passenger seat, and broke her back. She was not the one driving, and it could have been worse for her or the driver who made a reckless decision. You may not die in a wreck, but you could still get seriously injured. You always have to take caution no matter what because what if you are merging into the lane next to you, and you don’t see a car coming so you accidentally hit them, or if you pass someone on the road, and you don’t think anyone is coming you could also hit them and expose yourself and others to danger. Always take precautions when you see a motorcycle because they are smaller and harder to see, especially at night because they only have one light. Always turn your brights off at night when a vehicle is approaching because you don’t want to blind them. You must be especially careful when it is raining because you could start to hydroplane, end up in a ditch, or hit another car, and you both get seriously hurt. When driving there are always steps you should take to help avert the probability of a crash. After getting in a crash there are a series of steps you should take. The first thing you should do is call 911, don’t move if you are seriously injured, and check on your passengers, or the other vehicle, exchange information, wait for someone to show up, make sure to turn your hazard lights on, and pull over to the side of the road. You also need to notify your insurance company and be sure to document the wreck. You need to be able to control the endless chances of a wreck; to do this you should always know your route, brake early, follow at a safe distance, pass at a safe distance, always expect the unexpected, and avoid any kind of distraction. Always check your mirrors constantly, check the signal lights and signs, and keep your eyes moving.