Life is a highway but do not ride it all night long

Life is a highway but
do not ride it all night long

I
was in my bed locked in a deep slumber, protected by the soft warmth
of my satin blue sheets, probably dreaming about the wonders of a
crispy yet creamy chocolate croissant straight from the oven when my
alarm brings me to the reality of my fifteenth birthday. Overwhelmed
with excitement, I drag my mother to the car, of course without
leaving my birth certificate and all the necessary documents, and we
head down to the DMV for my permit. I had spent all of summer
preparing for the test so I was confident that I would do fine but I
was nervous from the anticipation of finally getting a car; after I
passed the test they put the temporary permit into my naïve hands,
and I could only think about one thing: freedom. What I failed to
realize is that driving is a huge responsibility and a privilege that
cannot be taken lightly.

A
couple months after receiving my permit, I started taking driving
classes since they are one of the pre-requisites for teens trying to
receive a driver’s license in Georgia. In all honesty, I initially
disliked the prospect of having to take classes since they lasted
from nine to five –which I found momentarily amusing since in my
mind the phrase ‘nine to five’ is obviously an allusion to the
musical– and would occupy a couple of my well-deserved weekends. I
thought that the class was a complete waste of time, especially since
I already passed my permit test, which proved I knew everything there
was to know about driving, right? Little did I know that I could not
have been further from the truth. In driving school, I learned the
significance of defensive driving and the severe consequences
associated with distracted driving and driving under the influence.
Driving education is necessary because it produces drivers that are
much more aware of their driving environment and reduces the number
of deaths caused by creating more knowledgeable and responsible
drivers.

There
are many steps that we can take to reduce the number of deaths
related to driving. The most important step is driving education as
drivers who know about the dangers of the road are more likely to be
safer and more attentive. Another step is to enforce laws that
discourage distracted driving, like the law in Georgia that prohibits
contact with devices while operating any motor vehicle. Due to safe
driving habits that my mom has implemented, we haven’t been
involved in many accidents, however, there was one instance where she
rear-ended a car because she lost focus and stepped on the gas pedal
instead of the brake, and though no one was hurt, the event
exemplified the theme that driving requires an individual’s
complete undivided attention. This means, in order to create a safer
driving environment, I employ everyone, including those who read
this, to accept responsibility and drive safe.