Car Accident Awareness

The Red Camaro

“I didn’t think anything of it because after he fishtailed, he would gain control of his car, but within a blink of an eye, the red Camaro that was once two hundred feet in front of my car was on the opposite side of the road in a ditch.” Gasps and blank faces stared at me as I shared what I had witnessed one Wednesday morning before school.

I further explained how even though it was misty, cloudy, rainy, and foggy, the young adult played a part in his accident. Seconds before the accident, the young male accelerated on a sharp left turn and continued to accelerate disregarding the slippery roads and the fact that muscle cars have bad traction. Although he would gain control of the vehicle after fishtailing, he went over a deep puddle and lost complete control of the car. After losing control, the Camarao spun to the left causing it to face the oncoming traffic he was once leading, and continued to slide until the tires were met with grass. Thankfully the young male was the only one present in the car and removed himself from the smoking vehicle with a red mark on his neck from all the whiplash he faced in the car. After I repeatedly asked if he was okay I proceeded to explain to him that he shouldn’t have sped off in that manner and to watch for slipper roads next time.

Awareness

Still in shock from watching the Camaro crash before my eyes, I continued to tell my classmates the story to help raise awareness about driving in dangerous conditions and ways to reduce the number of deaths related to driving. I began with a speech about the importance of checking the weather forecast for the day to determine what vehicle they should drive or whether to leave the house ten minutes earlier to ensure they arrive at their destination safe and sound. I know teens only have one car, but asking their parents if they can borrow their AWD or 4X4 car, truck, or SUV will maximize the safety of the teen while driving in dangerous conditions.

Immediately my classmates responded “Well, what about the safety of our parents? Wouldn’t we be putting them at risk if we ask them to trade vehicles for the day?” I reassured them that their parents most likely would know how to handle a difficult situation better than they would, are more cautious, and will abide by the rules/regulations. If no other car is available then leave about ten to fifteen minutes earlier in preparation for upcoming traffic. During my speech, one of my classmates was on their phone, so I kindly asked if I could borrow it for a second and began explaining how easily it is to be distracted by our phones and to make it a rule that being on your phone while in a moving vehicle should be off limits. After I finished my speech, I posted on Google Classroom, with the permission of my teacher, resourceful links about defense driving and what to do if you are involved in car accidents.

Being the Change

Being a safe and responsible driver can mean a lot of things to everyone but one thing certain is that car safety should not be taken lightly. The very first step you do while you are in a car is putting on your seatbelt. Research shows that if you are a passenger and you wear a seatbelt, it will reduce your risk of fatal injury by forty-five percent. (Kahane, 2015) Car maintenance is another leading cause of accidents and citizens of all ages should have better knowledge of how their car works to ensure the safety of others. Some tips to minimize endangering others are checking the air pressure in your tires, checking your oil, replacing squeaky worn-out breaks, and making sure your tires are in good condition. A way you can check if your tires are no longer useful is by checking if there’s any thread left or checking for “balding” tires.

In addition, if I’m the passenger and I see the driver reaching for their cell phone I will intercede and ask them to pull over if texting or calling is urgent.

Importance of Driver Education

Driver education is the foundation of how to operate and maneuver any vehicle before getting behind the wheel. Learning about driver education will make drivers aware of possible dangerous activities to not perform while driving and will teach them good habits. Once teens are aware of the consequences that could happen proper safety will adhere to them.