Behind the wheel

On December 23 of 2020, my cousin David passed away in a car accident. He was hit by an old lady who was not paying attention. This old lady may always drive safely, but it only takes one time for her to mess up and risk her life and the life of others. This old lady who hit my cousin did not look on both sides of her when merging into the left lane on the highway. She was not thinking, she was careless, and because of her actions my cousin is deceased. This shows how easily things can happen if you are not paying attention and being an irresponsible driver behind the wheel. My cousin David was a beautiful human being, so full of life and ready to experience the world. He was in the army, and was just deployed to Arizona when he got in his accident. The biggest regret I have is not getting to know him better and not telling him how much I loved him before he passed away. His life had so much potential, and it is such a shame that it was cut short because of someone else’s irresponsible and reckless driving. This shows how important it is to be driving safe in order to keep yourself and others safe.

Driving is a serious responsibility that you are given once you turn sixteen. You turn 16 and finally start to gain your freedom that you’ve always wanted! Driving is an exciting step in teenagers’ lives. I should know, I am a teenager myself. But, what most kids don’t realize is that with driving comes a lot of risk. Just because being able to drive is exciting, does not mean it is risk free . So many people die as a result of unsafe and irresponsible driving. It is important to know the serious implications of being a driver and use them to make oneself, and everyone else’s driving experience better and safer. When driving we need to remember that our safety and the safety of others depend on our individual attention while driving. Let’s all make a commitment to stay focused and keep our eyes on the road. Driver’s education is the glue that holds everything together. It teaches you common sense knowledge about driving which benefits you in the future when you are driving all over the road. Without driver education, people wouldn’t know basic things like traffic laws, road safety, driver responsibilities, and avoiding accidents. For example, if we did not have drivers education and learned basic drivers knowledge, then we would be driving recklessly on the road and risking our life and others lives. There would be more chaos than you can possibly imagine. Driver education is in place for everyone’s safety on the road, not just the people driving. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety administration, around 3,000 people die each year in the United States due to irresponsible driving. It’s a staggering number and it shows just how crucial it is to address this issue. One of the biggest issues in driving today is speeding. I can personally say that I speed on occasion, and in no way is this a good thing, or something anyone should pursue. Speeding reduces the amount of time the driver has to react in a dangerous situation to avoid a crash, increases vehicle stopping distance, and reduces the ability of road safety structures (such as guardrails, impact attenuators, crash cushions, median dividers, and concrete barriers) to protect you. A couple years back I was driving with my sister late at night and it was extremely dark out. As we were driving, a deer came out in front of our car and hit us, and we got in a car wreck because of my sister’s lack of reaction time and the speed we were going. We had to pull into an empty parking lot because of the stressfulness of the situation. This shows how irresponsible driving is dangerous, and why it should not be done.

There are many ways that I can combat distracted driving and spread awareness and educate others about the dangers, as a teenager who . This is possible in many ways. I can help other people be safe on the road by posting on social media, raising awareness for reckless and irresponsible driving. I can also talk to people about it through my school, church, church youth group, club organizations, or through family and friends. Another way I can help is by making public service announcements about road safety and posting them to my school’s and personal social media, making sure no one I know or am with will drive under the influence, speaking up if I am in the car with someone driving irresponsibly, volunteering to help other people brush up on traffic laws and road safety tips, and setting an example for other people to follow by driving safe and following the rules. Along with helping others, I can help myself to be more responsible on the road by putting my phone away. I can keep my cell phone Out Of Reach or in a place where I won’t be tempted to use it while driving. It’s best to avoid any destruction from text, calls, and social media. Another thing I can try to do better is taking care of any necessary tasks before I start driving. For instance, set my gps, adjust mirrors, and secure any loose items in my vehicle. This way, you can focus solely on the road. These actions can apply to anyone and everyone as well. No driver is perfect. Everyone can improve their driving because it only takes one time for a driver to do something stupid and cost someone’s life and yours as well.

In conclusion, driver education is an important part of staying safe on the road and more people would learn and retain the laws if the classes were more interactive. However, it is on all of the drivers on the road to make it a safe and secure place for other drivers and the passengers in all vehicles. It is fairly easy to get into an accident in any way possible so it is important to always be aware and cautious of one’s surroundings. Everyone should brush up on their knowledge about safe driving and understand the implications of being a driver.