“Drive Safe, I Love You”

“Drive safe, I love you”, the words I hear every time I sit in the driver’s seat. Whenever I leave the house, my mother says these four words reminding me that everyone on the road has someone waiting for them at home. 

I recall the first time I had ever been behind the wheel alone. I got my permit at 15 and my license freshly at 16, but I did not drive alone until I turned 17. I have always had a fear of driving, but as I got older, I became significantly more scared of being behind the wheel as I began to realize just how distracted the world has become. Red light runners, reckless speeding, intoxication, distractions, and more are all possibilities that follow me as I am on the road. Although people know that these actions are wrong, they still cannot grasp the true consequences that are the possible outcomes of their poor choices. These poor lapses of judgement by people can be caused by many factors, but I feel that the most important factor is the lack of driver education. Driver education is crucial when it comes to reducing the number of deaths caused by driving. Not only can this education allow people to avoid being the ones that crash, but it can also help individuals who are put at risk of being crashed into. Most of the time I feel that people forget that they are not only responsible for paying attention to their own actions, but unfortunately, they are also responsible for paying attention to the actions of those around them. Seeing a car speeding? Fall back. Seeing a car swerving? Fall back. Noticed that someone is being aggressive? Fall back. When you are on the road it is important to understand all your responsibilities, but without education on what to pay attention to it becomes difficult for many to realize that all odds are against them when they are behind the wheel. Driver education is also crucial for those that do not have proper education when learning how to drive. I was fortunate enough to have attentive parents that taught me all that they could about driving. However, many are not taught thoroughly which can cause confusion or uncertainty when driving. Knowing the rules of the road is crucial when out on any street and without this knowledge it becomes almost impossible to drive safely.

There have been many attempts to reduce the number of deaths caused by driving incidents. However, it still seems like these incidents are on the rise. I believe that the only way to truly reduce the number of deaths is to show people how their actions have consequences and to increase the surveillance done on our roads. I believe that young drivers need to be shown how the lives of those that fall victim to reckless drivers are changed in an instant. I remember that during my permit test I was shown two interviews of victims of accidents and their families. It was truly heartbreaking to see how they did everything right but still had to pay the consequences of another person’s actions. It was also difficult to see how these families had to grieve their loved ones after these accidents as their lives change as well even if the accident does not result in death. I feel that when I was a new driver watching these videos it made me aware of how even if I am the one driving recklessly there are still others that are put at stake. I truly don’t think that I could live with myself if I made the conscious choice to drive recklessly and I changed or ended the life of another. Because of this I feel that it is important for everyone to have to watch these videos even before they are given the chance to get behind the wheel. I understand that on my permit test they showed these videos, but the reality of the situation was that I didn’t have to watch them. I could’ve left them rolling as I left the room or been on my phone scrolling through social media and missed the messages completely. Sadly, this is the reality for many and because of this they are not fully aware of the impacts their choices may have. I feel that to avoid this there needs to be mandatory viewings of these videos in schools with students around driving age, in the DMV’s before and after a driving test is taken, and every year drivers need to be required to watch these videos and answer questions that go along with them to ensure attention. Although some may think this is excessive, I believe that it is the least anyone can do in return for the privilege of driving. I also believe that more security and surveillance need to be implemented on the roads. Where I live there are constant red-light runners and people that excessively speed. I have noticed that this behavior is a regular occurrence at the intersections that do not have red light traffic cameras or regular police activity. Without a high chance of consequence many think that they do not need to obey traffic rules. I think that with a higher implementation of these cameras it will cause people to think twice before driving recklessly. It has also been shown that this is effective around where I live because recently to combat these issues the city has installed a few red-light cameras at busy intersections. Since then, I have seen little to no red-light running incidents. I have also noticed that when police officers are more prevalent individuals decide to slow down and go the speed limit. I understand that these may not be the only ways to reduce the number of deaths caused by driving, but I think they could be effective.

In my life I feel blessed to be able to say that I have personally never been in a car accident. I also have not had close family involved in severe car accidents.  However, I have had more than a few close calls with a majority of them being due to other drivers’ lack of attention on the road. One incident that I can vividly remember was when I was driving to work as a semi-new driver. I had a green arrow at an intersection, and as I began to turn another individual began to run the red light going straight. If I had not been paying attention and did not hit my brakes immediately, they would have hit me. The detail I remember the most clearly was that the woman driving was on her phone and did not realize that she was running the light until I honked at her. It’s difficult to want to drive knowing that people are so clueless and reckless on the road which can result in consequences that don’t only affect them but also those around them. I’ve also witnessed multiple red-light runners after this incident and other irresponsible decisions that have almost led to worse incidents on the road. I choose to drive responsibly and never use my phone while on the road unless it is completely necessary and I am at a full stop, usually in a parking lot. However, I have experienced being in a vehicle with friends and family members that choose to use technology while driving. I have no issue calling out these individuals and I even have one friend that now refuses to use his phone while I am in the car with him. After expressing how it made me feel unsafe, he began to give me his device whenever he would drive us somewhere, only using it when he is at complete stops. Even though I appreciate his efforts to make me feel safe I still hate the fact that when I’m not in the vehicle he decides to go back to his old habits. I have also experienced many friends and family members speeding excessively which makes me feel both uncomfortable and disappointed.

The previous paragraph was one that I created when I first began writing this essay. At the time, I had never been in or had a family member that had been in a serious accident. That was until last week when someone that is very important to me got themselves into an accident due to their own poor choices while operating their vehicle. Fortunately, this individual did not hurt themselves or someone else. But, after looking at the damage to their vehicle it is safe to say that if another individual was involved in this accident, it most likely could have been extremely harmful. This event made me realize how life can change in an instant. One day I can tell everyone that I am fortunate to not know anyone that has gotten into a severe crash and the next I am waiting to hear if my loved one is okay. Before we got the call that the crash had happened, I was out eating dinner with my mother. We got into our car and were talking and listening to music. Laughing and smiling while discussing old memories with one another. However, when we got the call, the whole mood completely changed. I will never forget the gut wrenching feeling that consumed my body as we drove to the scene. Unaware of the condition and the outcome. It reinforced what I had already known for so long about driving and life. Nothing is ever certain and your whole life can change in an instant. Since that day I have been more cautious when on the roads, taking extra precautions to ensure the safety of myself and everyone else.

There are many ways that individuals can become better and safer drivers every single day. The main way is to limit any distractions, with an emphasis on technology, and make sure to always pay attention to the road even when the vehicle is not moving. Staying alert, no matter what situation you are in is also crucial due to the fact that it only takes a second to become involved in a crash. Other precautions to stay safe on the road include going the speed limit, making sure to drive with adequate sleep, and making sure that your vehicle is running properly which includes making sure your brakes are working properly and making sure that your headlights are not burnt out. Ensuring extra safety inside a vehicle is important as well. Individuals need to make sure that they are using their seatbelts even when going short distances as it can be the difference between life and death. A crucial action that can be used to be a better and safer driver is to make sure that you and those that you know are not operating a vehicle under the influence at any level. Once any substance enters your body it’s safe to say that you should not be driving at all within the same night. If you know that you’re going to be consuming substances, it’s best to get a ride to an event to ensure you have no access to your vehicle throughout the night. In current times there is absolutely no excuse for driving under the influence as there are many resources available to transport you without you having to get behind the wheel. Not only is your life at stake, but the lives of those around you are at stake as well. Simple, yet effective choices are all that need to be made in order to ensure safety for everyone and because of this being self-aware and selfless is crucial when you are on the road. 

The act of driving is one that comes with many potential risks. Due to this it is every driver’s responsibility to not only look out for themselves but to also look out for everyone around them. One bad decision or one wrong move can easily become lethal when on the road. It is the sad yet true reality that everyone must face. If you do not want to drive safely for yourself, drive safely for someone else. To those reading I just want to say, drive safe, someone loves you.