Value Human Life

A driver’s education is the most important step in one’s driving career. This is where people learn the basics of driving and how to apply those in real world situations. When people take to heart what they have learned in drivers’ education they become much safer drivers and that benefits everyone on the roads. The more responsible drivers that we have the less deaths will be caused by driving. This all starts with driver training. You can’t even begin to measure the importance of this. I hate to say it but imagine what would happen if there was no driver’s training. The number of fatal accidents that people would be in would skyrocket and nobody with a good conscience wants that.

The greatest cause of death in driving is when someone is not paying attention to their surroundings. Whether this is because someone is distracting them or because they are on their phones. The biggest step in my opinion to reduce deaths is by having harsher punishments for people caught on their phones while driving or if they cause an accident that has a probable chance that they were on their phone. I believe that this step alone would save many lives. Another controversial step would be that every 5 or 10 years that someone has their license they are mandated to take a reevaluation exam both written and practical.

I am very blessed to have never been in a car accident that had any injuries, but I have ridden with reckless drivers. As a high school student I have ridden with and witnessed many people that should not have a license. Personally, I have been hit in our school parking lot sitting in my car that was not moving as I was letting someone back out. I was told the kid that hit me was digging in his backpack and not paying attention to anything in front of him at all.

One of my brothers and one of my friends both have totaled cars. Riding with them is always an experience. Nobody likes to be the backseat driver but sometimes it just must be done. It is never enjoyable to be that person, but I have done it a couple times and I can with thankfulness say my brother is now a much better driver because of it.

It sounds so simple, but it is so difficult for many people but the best way to become a safer driver is by ignoring all distractions. The text that you receive, or the phone call can wait another 20 or so minutes for you to be safe. Once people start to take responsibility and pay close attention to the road this will save many lives. If you are someone that struggles with looking at your phone, then just take away that distraction entirely. Put the phone in a bag in the back seat or even put it in the trunk if it is still too much of a distraction. Another way is if you have passengers, you can nicely ask them to be quieter and be respectful of the driver so they can get you to the destination safely. Lastly, fix yourself first before worrying about other people. Don’t say other people will change so you don’t have to. It will save you much pain and money by just being a safe and focused driver.

When I first started this essay, I wasn’t sure what to call it. That changed when I was halfway done writing it. A young sophomore boy at my high school who received his license this year hit a pedestrian. She was sent to the hospital in critical condition. It was reported a few days later that she succumbed to her injuries. This put a somber mood on our high school. It made us all consider the implications of not paying attention while driving. It really puts into perspective how fast a life can be taken if we are not fully aware of our surroundings while driving. The consensus of all the students at school was that human lives must be valued. That girl had parents that are now suffering a terrible loss. I don’t know if she had siblings but if she did that puts them in a terrible spot. It’s a terrible thing to hear but I can say with the utmost confidence that it put a spark in all of us to become better and more aware drivers.

There are many steps you can take to become a safer driver. The first and it’s one that I have hit on already is being a defensive driver, always being aware of everything and everyone around you. The second step and one that seems obvious is to know and follow traffic rules. Some other quick steps include always checking your mirrors, staying calm and avoiding road rage, adjusting to weather conditions and driving accordingly. The last two steps that will help anyone become a better driver are avoiding distractions and getting feedback on how you’re driving has been. If everyone followed even half of these steps the roads would be a lot safer for everyone.