No More Excuses

In
The Driver’s Seat Essay: No More Excuses

The
phrase “Drive Safe” appears frequently in my life.

Through
text: “Please drive home safe. Call me when you get home”.

Through
call: “Drive safe! I’ll see you later”.

In
person: “Drive safe. Love you!”.

I
know I am not the only person in this world who has received this
kind of gesture. But, this is my story:

My
name is Cindy Hong and I am 18 years old. I’ve been driving for 2
full years now, but it honestly feels like I have been for 10. Being
the oldest of four kids, I am the first to drive and always on the
road. I am thankful to have a car provided by my parents but there
was an exception, of course. I had the expected burden of driving my
siblings everywhere — tennis practice, tae kwon do lessons, SAT
tutor. The list goes on. My two years of driving had its ups and
downs – downs greater than the ups.

Driving
is exciting to any 16 year-old; it is a milestone in one’s life,
marking a new level of maturity and freedom for teenagers. I was 16
once, and it felt refreshingly liberating having the privilege to
drive. Little did I know, it was just the beginning of a long
physical and emotional journey.

It
was March of 2018 when we heard the news.

If
I had known for a simple second, my interaction with James, a
brother-like friend, on that day will be the last time I would see
him, I would have told him so many things. Maybe, we would have spent
our time differently. Regret is the worst guilt. One night mid-March,
James and his mother spun out of control on a major intersection that
resulted in a fatal accident. That night, the weather was forecasted
as a wintry-mix. That night, they were on their way to church for
Friday night worship. It was out of their control. The news was
delivered through my mom’s shattered cry from the living room.

It
was so hard to believe. Truly, this time in my life was defined by
the word “unbelievable”. James, at 15 years young, wasn’t
supposed to die. He was supposed to graduate from high school and
experience life. For a while, I couldn’t understand the world.
However, with time, James’s insensible death awakened something
inside me. I finally understood that some things are just not under
our control, but it is crucial that we take advantage of what we can
control.

That
is why it is so important to be educated about the rules of the road.
It is the most we can do in our physical power to stay safe, save
others, and, essentially, live. It is under our control, our choices,
our actions. The main rule of the road you always hear and see on the
signs of highways: “BUCKLE UP: IT’S THE LAW!” Why would it be
the law? It is because it is the single most effective action you can
take to protect yourself on the road. It could have saved an
estimated 14,955 lives in 2017. It could have. The simple actions
like putting on our seat belt and not using phones while driving
could be the ultimate deciding factor of life or death — for you or
for me.

No
more could haves. No more excuses. Just do it.

I
once took for granted and underestimated the rules of the road. I
learned through trauma, but I hope that for whoever is reading this,
it will take less than emotional and mental scarring to fully
understand and appreciate safe driving. So, please, drive safely.