The Deadliest Weapon

There is no denying we live in a dangerous world. A world where our
lives are constantly being threatened, whether it be by people,
viruses or natural disasters; the most common killer being a car. We
wake up with intentions to do our daily work or school routine and
come home and do it again the next day. What we do not seem to
realize is how much we take these everyday actions in our lives for
granted and how in a split second it could be gone for good. When I
started driving, I was ecstatic to have the freedom I so patiently
waited for, but the more experienced I became, the more dangerous I
realized it can be.

While learning to drive, I took a drivers ed class, because
of the “Student Driver” sign on the car, many people kept their
distance; it was like a protective bubble. However, when the sign was
removed, people began to cut me off and honk at me; this was the
reality of being a licensed driver. Drivers ed lessons
taught me to drive defensively, to be aware of my surroundings, and
how to react quick enough to avoid accidents. Taking the physical
class allows you to ask questions relating to real life scenarios,
while the online class does not provide that same type of
interaction. I believe drivers ed should be a requirement
before receiving a license, because it provides a deeper
understanding of the consequences to breaking the law.

At the beginning of my senior year our school received tragic news
that two fellow students were in a car accident, one passing away
because of his decision to not wear his seatbelt. They were speeding
down a deserted road when the tire popped causing them to skid off
the road and be thrown from the car. Although I had not known him
personally, it was hard to hear a fellow senior so close to
graduating and starting college having his life taken away so early.
Many of us feel that a part of our graduating class is missing, but
he will always live in our memories.

Each time I sit behind the wheel, I make the commitment to wear my
seatbelt and not use my phone. It is a misconception that most car
accidents happen because someone was texting or driving under the
influence, however there are other factors that can distract a
driver. Some measures taken to become a safer driver could include
keeping the number of passengers limited, not playing with the radio,
staying off the phone, not smoking, and not eating food while behind
the wheel. A proactive approach towards reducing deaths while driving
would be to retest drivers more frequently. Retesting drivers sooner
would provide them with the newer road laws and would also confirm
they are still capable to drive. Every time I drive, I think of my
family and friends, they are the ones who I make the promise to
return home to safely.