Driving is a privilege!

In the world today, it seems like more and more people feel that driving is a right and not a privilege. To this I would say, I disagree completely. Driving is something that is a privilege and should be taken seriously, and treated with respect. I have seen many people driving recklessly, distracted, dangerously, and downright scary. For these reasons, I think it is more important than ever for young adults to learn how to protect themselves on the road with good education and understanding of what driving is all about.

Driver’s training can help to reduce the number of people that are in accidents, get seriously injured, or die in car related deaths. By learning how to operate a car safely as well as how to deal with situations that may occur on the road, it can help to make young people better drivers, safer drivers, and in turn hopefully save some lives. If people are given a good education to help them fully understand the results of their actions and the consequences that could happen while they are behind the wheel. I feel that most young adults know about the dangers of drinking and driving or driving while impaired. I am sure that many don’t think those things will happen to them, however I know they are aware of what could happen. This is something a lot of us have seen in movies as well as being told from a very young age the results of these actions. I feel that in today’s society, the biggest issue that young people will face on the road is distracted driving and road rage issues. By learning how to drive defensively, we can better protect ourselves and those driving with us. This comes from learning how to control the vehicle we are driving safely and effectively.

I have watched many of the people in my life make some poor choices on the road unfortunately. These choices could be from driving too fast, being distracted from one thing or another, or being reckless while the weather is not the best. I do not want to do that or be a part of that group of people. I want to learn how to drive responsibly and safely. I have also witnessed drivers being extremely aggressive and hostile toward others on the road. My step mom was driving us home from a store once when someone behind her became angry that she was doing the speed limit in a school zone. I watched as this young man became so angry that he started swerving behind her, honking, and screaming at us. When we turned onto our street, instead of continuing on, he followed us down our street. He was continuing to honk, yell, and swerve. I was very scared, especially with my little siblings in the car. My step mom stayed as calm as she could and just continued to drive. When we went to turn into our driveway, he accelerated and swerved around us in the direction we were turning. My step mom had to slam on her breaks to avoid crashing into him. Instead of my step mom screaming, yelling, or making the issue worse, she just told us all to be calm and she called the police. She was able to give the police a description of the car and a partial license plate. This showed me that when people around me are choosing to make some poor choices behind the wheel, the best thing to do is to stay calm and not do anything to escalate the situation.

I want to learn how to drive responsibly, respectfully, and defensively to be a good role model for my friends and my younger brother and sister. I know that I have a wonderful family who loves me very much and I have several people that look up to me. I am not only a big sister to two younger siblings, but I am also a volleyball player and wrestler at my high school. I try my best to be the person that is available for others, a shoulder to lean on, and a safe place to fall. I try my best to be a good role model and influence for all those around me, my siblings, my fellow teammates, and to make my parents, teachers, and coaches proud of me! I feel as though by being a good driver and showing those around me the best way to drive and be safe while doing it, I can help keep the people that matter most to me safe. These are the reasons I feel it is important to learn safe driving and defensive driving.