One look too late

As a little girl, I could not wait to get my drivers license.When I would go shopping with my mother I used to pretend that the shopping carts were cars. Anything red was a stop sign, and the change in texture on the ground indicated a new roadway. As I got older, turning 16 meant only 6 months until I could be on the roads on my own. It was such an exiting moment. Although driving may seem simple, there are lot of factors to consider.

I believe one of the most important classes taught in school is drivers education. The class teaches you how to drive and the risk associated with driving and how to manage those risk. Drivers education demonstrates the rules about road signs, speed limits, traffic laws, and much more. Its crucial to follow these rules to maintain safe driving. When I first started to drive, I was nervous and overburden with all the components. Drivers education gave me the confidence and knowledge when behind the wheel. While learning how to operate a vehicle and the rules of the road, I also learned the dangers of drunk and distracted driving. Understanding these risk are the most important part. It can take one second look away and your entire life can change. Continuing to improve drivers education and making it accessible to everyone is extremely important. When I was in highschool, my drivers education class did a mock crash. A mock crash is fake drunk driving accident that shows the dangers of drinking and driving. The goal is to reduce the crashes, injuries and deaths involving younger drivers and their passengers by using visuals to demonstrate real life consequences. As heart breaking as it is, this experience left me with the effects of loosing my fellow classmates to a drunk driver. I belive everyone should experience this to really be able to understand and see for themselves how dangerous it can be to drink and drive.

Now lets talk about how to reduce the number of deaths while driving. While being educated on the intense consequences of violating these rules, we are less likely to break them so we don’t have to suffer the consequences. Not only are you protecting yourself by obeying these rules, but also everyone els on the road. To decrease the number of deaths while driving it is important to be a responsible driver yourself so that you can preach safe driving to your friends and family. Participating in campaigns or organizations to maintain visible clean roads and clear view of the road signs all contribute to safer driving conditions. Also joining anti texting and drunk driving organizations play a pivotal role in raising awareness.

As I personally have never been in a driving incident myself, my best friend has. It was a friday night around 9 o’clock when I got a call from my friend telling me my best friend got into a car accident. My heart immediately stopped. My first reaction was to call her. She did not answer my three phone calls so in my head I thought she was seriously injured. About three hours went by when I finally heard from her. She had told me she was texting and lost control of her wheel and spun into a tree head on. Her car was totaled and she was only a couple feet away from being impaled. I immediately started bawling my eyes out feeling so grateful she was not hurt or dead. It only takes a second to loose control and cause serious damage. I will never forget this moment.

To become a better and safer driver, I must prioritize learning and self improvement. Always knowing the speed limit, wear my seatbelt, never go on my phone, and most importantly never get behind the wheel intoxicated. Staying informed on the traffic regulations and laws will help maintain safe driving. It is also important to understand how the vehicle you are driving operates so you are in better control. Having patience while driving goes a long way in promoting a safer driving environment. Avoid having road rage, tailgating, speeding, weaving in and out of traffic. Respect the other drivers to avoid conflict.

In conclusion, drivers education is an essential part of learning as it teaches us safe and effective ways to drive. Calling out others on their unsafe driving behaviors can save many peoples lives if we continue to practice what we preach. Following the rules and regulations is not a joke and should be taken serious as it is there for a reason. Actively contributing to campaigns or organizations increases the awareness of safe driving and can help reduce the number of deaths on the roads. As we all continue to drive on the roads lets remember it is not just a personal responsibility to be safe, but an obligation to protect the well being of other people around us.