Is it Worth the Risk?

Is
it Worth the Risk?

Growing
up in Massachusetts, it has been a norm to hear friends, family
members, and peers talk about drivers ed. It has become such a
norm knowing that everyone takes drivers ed to get their
license that when I learned for the first time that not every state
required it, I was shocked. Drivers ed taught me about road
safety and how to be a conscious driver. It is crazy that not every
state requires this same teaching.

Through
drivers ed courses, I learned to be aware of others on the
road. Preparing us with this information, shown through images and
lessons, brought a sense of awareness of a driver manning a large
object which is capable of severe destruction . From pedestrians to
other vehicles, drivers ed brought a sense of understanding
to the consequences. Without proper education on the possible risks,
people tend to ignore warnings and other alerts that they feel do not
pertain to themselves. With drivers ed, we learn the
reasoning behind safe driving. More than just how to control a big
steel box, we learn the rules of the road and the responsibility we
have for others as drivers.

One
of the steps that can be taken to reduce driving-related deaths is
through the phrase, “Showing, not just telling.” You can always
preach not using cell phones while driving or not getting behind the
wheel when intoxicated. But until others can physically see the
consequences, often warnings like these are ignored.

Having
seen my peers and even friends driving irresponsibly and even
recklessly, has influenced me to help organize a yearly Mock Crash
simulation event held at my high school. Partnering with the town
police and fire department, we show the junior class a realistic
scene of a car accident using crashed cars and compelling actors. The
act filled with dead and injured actors cut out of the cars by the
jaws-of-life often stirs up powerful emotions for both the students
along with everyone involved. We tell the story of a teen driving
intoxicated from a party, crashing into another car and killing their
best friend in the process. It’s a shocking event to have to
witness and has greatly influenced teens in our town to be safer
drivers.

Having
helped run this event for the past two years, I see the impact on
myself and it still brings many emotions when I rewatch the video.
Physically seeing the consequences of intoxicated driving has led me
to be a very cautious driver. A driver must be in full control when
behind the wheel as they are commanding a large and heavy metal
apparatus capable of taking away a person’s life in a matter of
seconds. From all my awareness initiatives in high school along with
spending my summer on drivers ed, I have learned the
importance of responsible driving and the consequences of being
irresponsible. A small mistake could risk the lives of those close to
you. Is it worth it?