Safety Behind the Wheel

Safety Behind the Wheel

By Sara Morrison

It has been a few years since I have taken my driver’s education course, but I believe that this course is important in reducing the number of deaths from driving because it was presented in a “Scared Straight” format. This may have just been my experience with my school’s program, but the instructor presented the horrors of the road and what can happen behind the wheel. At the age when we take driver’s education, it is when teenagers feel invincible, and they are on top of the world. Due to this, many teenagers are reckless and drive with distractions or while under the influence. Driver’s education is important because it prepares teens for the worst outcomes that can happen. Watching Red Asphalt V was the film that made us all realize that driving is a life and death choice. As my instructor told my class, “It will not be if you get into an accident, but when you get into an accident and do everything you can to be safe and be able to go home and live another day”. Her words continue to live with me every time I get into a car because I do not want to become another statistic of vehicular accidents.

To reduce the number of deaths, the first thing that should always happen is that you must wear your seatbelt. A seatbelt is more often a good life-saving tool than not. The next step is to make sure you have your car in good working order, like your brakes, lights, fluids, engine, and belts. If you do not have a car that is properly maintained, then accidents are more likely to occur. Afterwards, the mirrors need to be in the proper place for the driver, so if you share a car with another driver, make sure the mirrors are where you need them. When you finally start driving, make sure you are not distracted by your phone, make-up, music, people in the car, or other things around you that do not pertain to the road. As a driver, you need to keep up on your health. Make sure you get your eyes checked and get glasses or update your prescription for your glasses. For your physical health, be aware of medications you take and side-effects that can come from them. Never drive while under the influence of medication, drugs, or alcohol because it impairs your driving ability, and it can lead to you being the cause of an accident. Another thing to keep in mind is to limit items inside the seating area that can potentially hurt you if you get into an accident. These items should be limited because objects will take energy from the impact and can become life-threatening when flying around the car. If you have toddlers and adolescents in the car, make sure that their seating is proper for their age, height, weight, and size. By doing this, it will help prevent death in the possibility of an accident. Following these steps can help drivers live through possible accidents, as well as prevent accidents from happening. 

I have been in a car accident as a passenger, and I have seen family and friends drive irresponsibly. I feel that everyone has seen someone drive recklessly on the road and sadly people still drive irresponsibly. My constant experience is when I am in the car with my mom. She has a “lead foot” when driving and drives fast regularly, and she also is known to tailgate other drivers and often tries to be on the phone, which really scares me. I have been in a few fender benders with her where she rear-ends other drivers. My brother has always had a need for speed and one day he and his friends were racing on the main highway through our town and were traveling at a speed of 100 miles per hour. That was quite scary to see while in my friend’s car and watching this take place ahead of us. My father was drunk for most of my childhood and would often drive home intoxicated with me in the car. Thankfully, he never got into any accidents, but I always feared that we would crash one day. One memory I constantly live-in fear of is when my grandma was alive and driving me home. She had dementia and one day she turned on to the freeway on the side with a Do Not Enter sign. We traveled for a few seconds until a car came barreling towards us and my grandma crossed the land median to the right side of the freeway. That was probably one of the scariest moments I have ever had in a car. Another accident that I remember hearing about was one that led to the death of my brother’s best friend. The reckless driver was not my brother, but a drunk driver on the wrong side of the road. My brother was supposed to be in the car with his friend on that day, but someone was watching over him, and his friend said that he was going to go alone, but that he would see him later that day. These moments really show how we need to be cautious on the road, follow the signs and speed limits, and focus on the road around us to prevent a deadly interaction while driving.

Personally, I do not drive. I do not drive because I do not trust my mom or brother to teach me to drive and my father works constantly. For me, I try my best to help prevent the amount of distracted driving my mom does. I take her phone often while she is driving and if she needs anything, I look it up for her or I reply to urgent text messages or I tell her to pull over. I have also told her that she drives too close to other cars and that while in traffic she should always be able to see the back tires touching the asphalt of the car in front of her and if she cannot see that then she is too close. I also have been carrying straws and opening drinks for her when she drives so that she can pay attention to the road rather than needing to open her drink and take her eyes off the road. Though this only helps her driving, it will be one less reckless driver on the road that can inflict damage. I have become a side seat driver and just help people remember the rules so that I can know that my friends and family will drive safer and have a better chance of coming home every day. The wheel is in the hands of every driver and the drivers need to know that driving is a reward, privilege, and responsibility. If drivers cannot handle the power that comes with driving, then they are not fit to be behind a wheel where they can inflict damage to property or loved ones.