The Big Decision

Dezirae Jackson

26 May 2020

Drivers ed Essay Contest

DMV Edu

The Big Decision

Almost every adult can recall the day they held those shiny car keys in their hand for the very first time. The excitement to finally be on the road on their own, being able to taste all the memories they would have in their new ride. What they weren’t contemplating was the big decision their parents made with getting them a car.

The number one cause of death for teenagers is car related making drivers ed more and more important today. Car accidents can be minor or fatal depending on your intelligence and familiarity with the road. When I was 10 years old, a pickup truck in back of my mom’s vehicle was going over the speed limit approaching a red light. There were cars in front of my mother as she was beginning to brake and she had to make the decision of either hitting the car in front of her or stay still and allow the truck to hit her. She came to a complete stop and told me and my siblings to brace ourselves and fortunately, there was minimal damage done. Simple decisions such as this can make or break the severity of a collision. Without an education in driver’s etiquette, more damage would have been caused, including a possible risk in the health of the one’s involved.

Along with a drivers ed, us teenagers can minimize driving related deaths by following these steps. First, make sure the condition of your vehicle is safe for driving. This includes checking tire pressure, oil, brakes, and gas. Second is to make sure you and your passengers have your seat belts on while the vehicle is in motion. Third, eliminate as much distraction as possible. This means music, and even your friends at times. If they want to show you something on their phones or are turning the music up too high, simply tell them to stop what they are doing to ensure you all reach your destination safely. And the last step is to put your phone away. As a teenager myself, I can assure that my phone is my number one distraction and the mere thought of even putting in my passcode while on the road is scary. We like in the digital era, so I understand that our lives are in our phones, but a text can wait, that song you don’t like is only 4 minutes, it’s not worth risking your life to pick up your phone, especially when other lives are in your hands.

As young drivers, the little things count to ensure ours and other drivers’ safety on the road. Following the steps above will minimize any complications on the road and ensure our parents that the decision they made to give us a car, just as their parents did before, was the right one.