Just Don’t Crash

If you want to learn how to drive, simply just don’t crash. In such a nonchalant, matter of fact manner, that was one of the only pieces of advice I was given from my uncle when going out on my first driving expedition. “I never would have thought. Just don’t crash — so easy! how difficult could it possibly be?” Became something I was not thinking of whatsoever. If anything, such simplistic advice caused more questions and concerns being raised in my already turbulent mind, while my passenger uncle remained unnervingly aloof. He seemed to be overestimating my abilities as a 15 year old girl with a new driver’s permit fresh out the DMV’s printer, who frankly, could barely discern the difference between the gas pedal and brakes. With such awe-inspiring advice in mind, I drove out onto the bustling streets with my lack of motorist knowledge and experience in hand. Of course, all according to my worries, I immediately am forced to the highway after failing to merge out of a turn only lane. Luckily, unlike my heart attack inducing expectations, we both came out unscathed despite the clear lack of professional guidance, but not everyone is so lucky to make it out safely during their first time driving.

Assuming it did not seem obvious enough, I was being sarcastic. Before I was able to obtain my current license, like many other teenagers, I was starstruck about the idea of being able to drive a car to do and go wherever I wanted, whenever. However, that was short-lived. The endless amount of television shows and movies glamorizing getting a license did not prepare me for the amount of knowledge it took to know how to efficiently utilize the qualification, without steering myself into a median. If I had become so baffled by the reality of the complicated handling of a vehicle, then who knows how many others shared the same predicaments.

It took almost a year of hands-on practice to become proficient enough to learn the mechanics of driving; no thanks to my amazing mentor. He was always a man with few words, and although I occasionally enjoyed the bluntness, it did not aid in making a good instructor during my plight. On the other hand, the focus of Driver’s education around the world serves to introduce concepts of a vehicle’s basic functions that are necessary to know for ease of operation and following driving laws for aspiring, young motorists. It breaks down the aspects of handling a vehicle from learning how to read the signs on the road, how to operate under certain weather conditions, and most importantly; taught how to safely analyze and avoid risk on the road. Essentially, it reduces the rate of deaths by preparing our youth to go against troubles on the road by promoting defensive driving. In my case, gaining professional lessons taught me how to meticulously be comfortable in the driver’s seat without the concerns of how to operate every button and lever, or the anxiety of not knowing what I was doing. To put it briefly, Driver’s Education was a better off uncle than Mr. “Just don’t crash” ever was in assuring and preparing me how to do just that — to not crash.

Despite its usefulness, driver’s Education is not as available or accessible to people in some states as it is in others. In order for me to complete a course, I found an online class that needed to be paid for because the high school I attended at the time did not offer Driver’s Education. Due to what local resources offered, paired with the questionable lack of lessons from my uncle, it was not until much later I became informed on the proper techniques of driving. My experience should not be an example to follow when first getting in a car, but instead one where education is abundantly available for other children around the world. There should never be a price put on an opportunity which negates the loss of many lives. Requiring every school to teach driver’s Ed from a young age for free paves the way for an increase of safer drivers in the future. More time given to students to get acclimated to the laws and proper ways to handle a car in turn will give time for them to familiarize signs of danger. Essentially, elaborating on the many processes on how not to crash during younger ages and with a larger range of accessibility prevents people like my uncle from instructing driver safety.

With primarily a focus on less experienced drivers, many of those experienced tend to forget the premise on just not crashing. As impractical as my uncle’s advice was, it held some merit. For example, When my mom was riding as a passenger, the driver failed to notice a red light at an intersection and watch out for her surroundings. Two cars came rushing in and crushed my mom’s vehicle immediately rendering it unrecognizable. In just a split second, the driver’s irresponsible mistake of being distracted due to feeling rushed almost cost both their lives.The following six months, my mom proceeded to sustain injuries that inhibited her from walking, which affects the remainder of how she lives today. The idea of a license being a responsibility and not a right becomes faded as time persists because thoughts of complacency takes its place. The lessons that are taught during driver’s Education should be kept in mind regardless of how long an individual has held a license. Simply acknowledging the thought of avoiding a crash along with details emphasized in driver’s education is a huge step in hindering reckless behaviors before they start.

Upon further review, the amateurish words of my uncle serve somewhat of a point in preventing deaths from car accidents all around the world. However, three words alone do not reduce the impact of haphazard driving. To avoid crashing, one must keep in mind behaviors that would insight it. Following detailed steps laid out by courses like driver’s education and defensive driving every second while on the road allows at least one life out of billions to live another day. Being a safer driver for myself and others requires actions like keeping at least one car’s length away from the vehicle in front of you at all times and especially not making rash decisions. From my time on road, the majority of accidents I witness are due to failure to maintain proper distance or the aftermath of prideful road rage. Regardless of the reason, the next time you’re preparing to gamble on the safeties of driving, stay calm, recollect the lessons of driver’s education, and just don’t crash.