The Pandemic of Reckless Driving

Ifeoluwa Winner

Driver’s Education Scholarship

30 November 2020

The Pandemic of Reckless Driving

“Ah! We’re in the middle of a pandemic! Wear your mask! Don’t forget to practice social distancing!” The young teenager assumed his instructor yelled to him, but in reality he said, “Ah! You’re in the middle of a highway! Wear your seatbelt! Don’t forget to place your cellphone in a compartment away from your hands!” My name is Winner Johnson, and I’m a high school sophomore learning about the importance and components to become a safe driver in our modernistic society. First and foremost, in order to reach the status as a successful driver, we must understand the necessity of driver education. Driver education is important in reducing the number of deaths as a result of driving through showcasing several real-life scenarios of everyday individuals engaging in irresponsible decisions while driving. Driver education provides students several perspectives through maintaining and valuing the notion of driving with friends, driving under the influence of alcoholic beverages, and lack of seat-belt usage, which attracts the mind of students participating in this course. Personally, during the driver education course, I was shocked and terrified, unknowingly understanding how diverting your face for less than five seconds from the frontal view can lead to the end of your life no matter the age.

After becoming aware and familiar with the danger and harm from reckless driving, we realized the steps to avoid deaths from driving must be listed. The steps are to always wear a seat belt, make your phone calls or send your messages before reversing out from the parking lot, avoid distractions from technological devices and people in the car, obey the traffic laws, and steer clear of alcohol and drugs if used. Sadly, one year ago, my best friend severely damaged his spine from a car accident because his older brother decided to drive during the night while under the influence of heavy alcohol. My best friend’s life has changed drastically, which has affected his athleticism as the star player of our basketball team to end because of one terrible decision of an immediate family member. My heart was torn apart seeing the dreadfulness in his scars and screams at the hospital. In conclusion, safe driving is vital for the future of our nation and contributing to this universal issue through taking precautions by placing my phone away, wearing a seat belt, becoming more observant of the road’s traffic laws, and being respectful to my other fellow driver civilians through following road orders by signaling, yielding if needed, and stopping at the stop signs which will eradicate the pandemic of reckless driving.