In A Blink Of An Eye

In A Blink Of An Eye

By

Lizbeth Andrea Rubio

April 12, 2019 was the day my life took a turning point. I passed my driver’s test on the first try and was able to finally get my drivers license at 16 years old. Getting my drivers license as soon as possible was always a goal of mine. My motivation to achieve that goal was mainly for my siblings and I not having to bother our hardworking parents for rides to school, athletic events, and the grocery store. My parents were constantly busy at work so my siblings and I always had to manage finding a ride on our own or walk to our destination. However, many think that getting your driver’s license isn’t serious. Driver education is highly important in this world because it reduces the number of deaths from car accidents and helps one become a safer driver as well as help others become safer on the road.

Driver education does not only benefit the driver, but also those surrounding them on the road. Knowing the driving laws before stepping into a vehicle is important because it protects yourself and others on the road. Driver education reduces the amount of crashes by 4.3% and convictions by 40% (Kass, 2017). A driver who knows the driving laws that need to be followed and actually follows them will prevent accidents from happening and reduce the percentage rate of deaths. This is why one needs a drivers license because no one should be allowed to drive on the road if they do not know the laws of driving. Receiving a drivers license after passing the test is not a joke and should be taken seriously because others lives are at risk.

Motor vehicle deaths is the most common cause of death every year in the United States. On average more than 32,000 people are killed and 2 million are injured each year from motor vehicle crashes in the United States. There are various steps that can be taken to reduce the number of deaths related to driving such as; wearing a seatbelt at all times, making sure children are always properly buckled in their car seat or booster seat, choosing not to drive while impaired by drugs or alcohol and help others do the same, obey speed limits, and drive without distraction like using a cell phone or texting.

On an early Tuesday morning, my mother was in a terrible car accident with my grandmother, aunt, and a family friend that left all of them severely injured and rushed immediately to the hospital. My whole family were farm workers and worked everyday at five in the morning. One day my mother was driving with my grandmother, aunt, and family friend in the car on their way to work. As my mother was driving at a T-intersection, in a blink of an eye a male driver ran the stop sign and crashed into my mother’s vehicle. He commited a hit and run and left all four of them severely injured and abandoned. Turns out the male did not have a license. My grandmother had a huge cut on her head which caused a hemorrhage, my mother was unconscious, and my aunt and family friend went to search for help at nearby apartments. This is just one example of accidents that happen every year. This just shows how important having a driver’s education is because you could put innocent lives in danger. Become a safer driver by always focusing on the road, being aware of your surroundings, being cautious at all times, and be alert.