Consider before driving

Brian D Sholes

11/24/2020

When someone buckles into the car and is ready to start driving, there are a few things they need to consider before putting their foot on the gas. One of those is their mental state. The driver needs to be sober enough to be able to respond to the hazards of the road.

First-time drivers, and even seasoned ones, can tend to be careless on the road. Their time is spent worrying about the way that other drivers do (or don’t) follow the rules set out in each state to be a great driver. Driver’s education helps to ensure that potential drivers are a bit more prepared to be a part of the overall driving experience. With better-educated drivers on the road, we can avoid people making careless mistakes that could lead to injury or death.

In my twenties, my father got a DUI while driving home from a liquor store. He was coming back from buying a fifth of Christian Brothers Brandy when he rear-ended a small, parked U-Haul truck. Afterward, he managed to get the bottle from the car and stumble home. As punishment, he had to take a driver’s education course and spend time in AA to regain his license. It was shocking to think that this man who raised me hadn’t been thinking about keeping his wits about him enough to get home. No one was hurt, but my father’s pride was certainly well bruised.

In order to avoid repeating his mistakes, I know not to drink and drive. One of the things I can do to get others to be better drivers is to encourage them to have designated drivers if they need safe transport home.

We can all do our part in making the roads safer. Helping to reduce the number of drunk drivers on the road is just one small way we can make roads safer. By offering one’s self as a designated driver it is possible to reduce the risks being taken and the number of consequences of unsafe driving practices.