Behind the Wheel

It was only a couple of weeks after I graduated high school. Having studied for over half of the previous year, the DMV was finally open again after mandated closing due to the Corona Virus epidemic. After all of the paperwork, all the times we had been turned away at the door, it was finally my time to take the driving test. I had been terrified at the idea of driving. What was worse was that my first car, one I still drive to this day, was a little Fiat 500 (2013). I had lived in West Texas at the time, so it was blatant how favored large trucks and vans were in the area. I felt invisible on the road- but if I was going to start working, going to class at my community college and get started on building my life as an adult, I had to do this.

I got into the car, checked my mirrors, buckled my seatbelt, and I was off. It was only a short drive around the block under close examination. My instructor was surprisingly pleasant, holding a conversation with me as I shakily used my turn signals. When we pulled back around and the last few notes were scribbled on his clipboard, I got to leave with the proudest feeling I’d ever had. I was sure I’d have to take it a few times. But I nailed it on the first, after the hard work of studying the road and lots of practice. The feeling was so rewarding.

Would you believe it if I told you many associates and coworkers I knew didn’t even bother? Believe it or not, I found myself stunned at this realization. I’ve heard all the excuses. “Oh, its just a small town. I’ll get my license when I move to a bigger city.” “I won’t even need it so long as I don’t drive stupidly!” “You don’t even need one to drive, it’s pointless. Look, the law says so.” Misinformed masses of people behind the wheel aren’t a reassuring thought for a new and anxious driver like me at the time. Combine the thought of that with the glamorized idea that “Its okay to drink behind the wheel, so long as you don’t get caught”, and you’ll have an increase in the number of deaths per year caused by reckless driving.

How can we fix this? How can we prevent reckless driving and the deaths caused by their accidents? De-glamourizing it’s presence among others in social media, and in-person. Drinking while driving should be shunned and taken seriously. I see far too many jokes online about how fun it is and how fine it is among others. It should not be tolerated at all. Reckless drivers weaving through busy traffic at illegal speeds should be reported immediately. Dashboard camera feeds will be posted online to warn others or to objectively show how ridiculous this irresponsible way of driving is, and the comments sections online will only praise the reckless driver for their finesse. Drivers should be aware of what roads they are on at all times and have no fear in accurately reporting reckless driving. As terrible as it feels to be a whistleblower, it must be widely understood that blowing that metaphorical whistle could save the drivers’ life.

I have witnessed the aftermath of reckless driving. Slowly navigating traffic as I and a parade of others cruise past the shredded metal and ripped tires on the side of the road that perpetuate my fear. The sobbing strangers speaking with concerned authorities as mangled bodies thinly veiled by cloth are lifted into blaring ambulances. I’ve seen fights brought out by drunk drivers; entire roads closed to clear the debris of a Ford Ranger that had its front half launched 20 feet into oncoming traffic. These are the results of drunk driving. This is what happens when drivers respond to a text with only one hand on the wheel. This is what happens when we “don’t need licenses.”.

My mother would always remind me when I was first learning how to drive; be a defensive driver. What does that mean? I luckily understood what she meant, having studied the road for my written driving test. Driving defensively is to be observant and avoid close calls regardless of whether it means you must stop or not. Is another driver disrespecting your right of way, speeding ahead to get in front of you before you pass? Brake. Behavior like this shouldn’t be encouraged, so make a phone call to authorities of it is close enough. Above everything, swallow your pride and avoid crashes whenever possible. Be aware of your surroundings, because most of the time, others have no idea what is going on in front of them and they couldn’t care less.

If we all learned to drive respectfully, understand each other’s space and keep peace with the right of way, I feel the world would be a safe place to drive in. My family lived overseas from 2016 to 2019 and I can confidently say that the traffic in South Korea was far safer than in the Unites States. In fact, I don’t think I had seen a single crash my entire time there. Granted, public transportation was widely available and safe, but there were still hundreds of cars on the road. If it’s taken into consideration, that’s a little sad for a place as developed around cars as the United States. We can do better. Stop drinking and driving, and take the proper tests to drive safely.