“My Name is Earl”

His name is
Earl, like from my favorite show, “My Name is Earl.” At 16, I
received my first car. It was a 2008 silver Camry. From there my car,
and I were inseparable. It took me to work, to the gym and back home.
From the start, my mom warned me about the risk of the road. I have
always followed directions and so I did everything I could to be a
safe driver. I stayed to the speed limit, dodged crazy drivers, and
silenced my phone to avoid distractions. I never expected to be in a
car accident until a few months ago.

Soon after, my friends turned 16 and got their cars. As teenagers,
the adrenaline of being free and controlling, clouds your judgment
and leads to recklessness. It was common to be in the passenger seat
and see them text throughout the whole ride. At school, they would
tell me about the party they were at last night and how drunk they
been when they drove home. “I have full control” or “I’m a
better driver when I’m drunk” they would tell me.

It was a Sunday
morning, when the roads were almost empty due to church service. I
was singing along to The Beatles on my way home from the sleepover at
my best friend’s house. I put my blinker on, as I had to merge onto
the interstate. I saw a couple cars in the street. As I approached
the highway I continued with my blinker and looked over for a moment
where I could move over. I saw a car and my lane was turning into
another exit. The car began to move over. Next thing I know, I felt
something push me. We hit. Till this day, I don’t completely
understand what happened in that moment, but I learned something. I
had become too comfortable and trusting of others. I took the
precautions I should’ve taken that day but trusted the car to act
quicker or to move over. That’s where I failed.

After my car accident, my views about safe driving were reinforced
because I had dealt with the consequences of unsafe driving
firsthand. I am now more careful by paying attention to who’s
around me. Also, I stopped the habit of changing my music while I
drive. I choose a playlist and I don’t change it until I arrive at
my destination. It hurt to see the damage I had done to myself and
Earl. There were no physical consequences for me, but my anxiety had
progressed to driving. Earl had a broken mirror and a dent. Without
him, I lose freedom and a part of myself. I realized that day, I had
put my livelihood and myself in danger.

I help others be
safe drivers by being their friend. I offer my help. For example,
when I’m in the passenger seat and they get a text, I offer to
respond for them so they can focus on driving. I also offer to pick
them up and take them home when their somewhere drunk. I think it’s
refreshing and easier for teenagers to accept advice from someone
their age.

Classroom and
driving training are both important to make up a safe driver.
However, most students don’t participate in classroom training. It
is critical because it teaches inexperienced drivers about road
signs, how to adjust on a car, what to avoid and many more things.
The education received by drivers ed drills the importance
of safe driving. It’s especially important for teenagers that don’t
grasp important lessons as easily. Young drivers who have not
completed drivers ed are 75 percent more likely to get a
traffic ticket and 16 percent more likely to have an accident, a
study showed. Drivers ed teaches students about the dangers
of the road and how to avoid those dangers by taking certain
precautions.

The most
important precautions you can take when being behind the wheel are to
stay focused and alert. These are main reasons why people are injured
or die in car accidents. You can’t be alert if you’re not
focused. To do this, you must get rid of distractions, which can
include eating, talking on the phone, texting, and arguing. The only
thing you should be doing is driving and watching the road. Once your
focused, become alert to the things around you. Accidents can be
avoided by simply avoiding the crazy car switching in and out of
lines every second or watching out for wild animals in forest roads.

Driving is a
privilege and a risk that shouldn’t be taken lightly. Being in a
car accident awoke the reality that everyone is susceptible to such
danger. It taught me to always be on my A-game and to not trust
others, to be aware of them instead. This incident concerned me about
my friends, that they may hurt themselves or others on the road. I do
my best to offer my help whenever they need it, whether it be to pick
them up when drunk or send a text for them. My friends, along side
many other teenagers, could benefit from classroom training because
it teaches them about the techniques of defensive driving and pushes
the idea of safety. Alertness and focus are the most important
strategies a safe driver needs. Being focused and alert of what’s
happening around you is how you avoid accidents. Safety is everyone’s
responsibility.