Take the Initiative

Driver education is just as important as a regular education; what you learn, you put into practice. Driver education is important in reducing the number of deaths related to it because it gives you knowledge on what to expect and how to deal with certain situations. It is like wanting to go into a profession without getting the necessary education for it. You will not know the ins and outs, the rights and wrongs, and things that a person in that profession should and needs to know; this is the same for driving as well. Have you ever heard the phrase, “What you do not know, will not hurt you?” That may be true in some circumstances, but not when on the road. Being unaware about the principles of driving can hurt both you and others if you are not careful. Steps that can be taken to reduce rising death tolls are not getting behind the wheel when under the influence of drugs, alcohol or strong emotions such as anger and extreme happiness, (as these emotions can cloud judgment); not overestimating how “good” of a driver you are, not speeding, and not running red lights. Instead you can drive at the speed limit, check your blind spots regularly by being cautious of your surroundings and scanning the road ahead; and being prepared to stop at any given moment. My dad has taught me to do this because you never know who can just run out onto the street, who may just suddenly open their door, or who may just abruptly stop, which is why limiting distractions is so important.

Driving is a complex task that requires great attention and is a highly valued form of transportation that is present in our everyday lives. There are many rules to follow, things you need to do as well as avoid, signs to pay attention to, etc. So much that you can not afford to slack off. Nonetheless, a great amount of people are, and will always be on the road 24/7; so in order to be a better and safer driver, you must make sure to keep all distractions away. In a world that is full of developing tech, being distracted is becoming more common and accessible. These types of distractions may include phones, tablets, switching music, makeup, food, and even other people. Making it a priority to limit the amount of distractions that may take away even a quarter of your attention is extremely important because one second could cost you or someone else’s life. From my experience, when in the car with my older cousin, he sometimes uses his phone to check his notifications or change his music, but it makes me very uncomfortable because he does not realize that no matter how long you have been driving, you are not indestructible to getting into an accident and that slight attention interference can cause major consequences. Not only is practicing safe driving important, but also leading others to do the same is just as crucial.

Moreover, this is why we need to help one another be and practice safe driving. To help others be safer on the road is by letting them know the power and responsibility they hold as a driver. The life of those both in the car with you and outside of it, are depending on whether you decide to drive safely or recklessly. You can not control people’s actions, but you can control how you choose to respond to it. As road rage has started to increase across the world, you can keep others safe by being the bigger person. This could mean not retaliating to a driver’s foolish behaviors (e.g. flipping a driver off or trying to get “even” with another driver); not honking at people when they make you angry or out of spite; giving up your right-of-way if that means that you will avoid a crash; letting a car pass you instead of speeding up to block them, and so on. Although, having a bad day is not an excuse to behave rudely, you never know someone’s situation, and if you choose to respond with kindness to their impoliteness, they may look back and appreciate the way you handled the situation. At the moment, these things may seem small and unfair, but it is better to be safe than sorry. The road is a shared place, do not act like you own it or like you are the only one on it.