Time to Buckle Up

Lamond
Cross
Time to Buckle Up

I
believe drivers ed should be a mandatory step to getting your
license. I took a drivers ed class when I was sixteen. During the
course, I learned the in-depth rules of the road, dangers of driving,
and many safe maneuvers such as parallel parking, downhill park,
uphill park, and hand over hand. To be good at anything, you need a
good foundation, and drivers ed is that perfect foundation everyone
needs to ultimately become a safe driver. All in all, drivers ed
reduces the number of fatal accidents by solidifying the basics in
new drivers.

In
this 21st-century world, technology is everywhere at home, in the
car, at the grocery store, causing many people to get distracted
while doing important tasks like driving. I know in MA where I live,
there is a Hands-Free law prohibiting the use of technology while
driving. Yeah, this is good, but how many people actually follow
that. I can think of at least ten people I know who don’t follow or
even know about that law. If you get caught using your phone while
driving, the first penalty is $100, second $250, and third $500. To
reduce the number of deaths related to driving, I think these fines
should be raised, which is harsh, but it’s better than hitting
someone or damaging property. Also, I think the risk of driving
should be advertised more. When was the last time you saw a
commercial on texting and driving or drinking and driving? Parents
will tell their kids not to do these things, but that will go in one
ear and out the other. Ultimately I believe raising fines and
advertising the risk of driving should reduce the number of deaths
related to driving.

Personally,
I have never been involved in a car accident, but my sister has
gotten into one. It was the simple fact that she was distracted and
looking down at her phone. She rear-ended a car and caused minor
damage. I guarantee whatever she was doing on her phone wasn’t
urgent, and could have waited. Hopefully, she learned her lesson as
she had to pay for the damages done to the car she carelessly hit.

By
no means am I a perfect driver as I am human and make mistakes, but
there are little things that I can do to minimize these mistakes. In
drivers ed, you learn a lot of stuff from the driving manual. The
material I don’t use slowly starts to fade away from my brain as I
focus on the essential things, and things I use primarily day to day.
To prevent this I am going to review the MA drivers manual every
three months in order to clear up any uncertainties. For others, I
can recommend apps that don’t require them to look down at their
phones or radios. Spotify and Apple music are great because the user
can make a playlist of songs before they start driving.