A life changing story of safe driving from a Ukrainian Hispanic American

This is a story of me, a Ukrainian, Hispanic, and Asian American, a story of suffering from a tragic car accident that injured my dad and from a deadly war in Ukraine. It is all about driver education for me and practicing safe driving. More people got killed in car accidents in 2023 in prospering America, than Ukrainian solders fighting for freedom of their motherland during Russia’s invasion.

Driver education has a significant role in reducing the number deaths from driving and ultimately, improving people’s lives.

In June 2023, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released its first projections for traffic fatalities in 2024, estimating that 8,650 people died in traffic crashes in the first three months of the year. This represents a decrease of about 3.2% as compared to 8,935 estimated fatalities during the same period in 2023.

The education of drivers saved 8,935 lives in just one-year period. This statistic is drastic, but it only shows part of the impact on human lives. Think about destroyed families, children who lost their mom or dad in a deadly car crash, moms and dads who don’t want to live any longer after loosing their beloved children, people who must spend the rest of their lives in a wheelchair or even, worse – people who can’t stand up after a spinal surgery caused by a car crash… These very personal and very sad life stories can be prevented by educating drivers.

The changing moment in my life happened five years ago when my father got injured in a major car accident. Being a son of immigrants, I saw how my parents struggled, trying to get a better future for my two brothers and me. A drunk driver hit my father’s car. Personal injury lawyers ensured that my father received adequate medical help and multiple surgeries and got necessary funds to support our family when my father was unable to work. When people get injured, they can’t fight for themselves. Experience with personal lawyers was truly inspirational, showing how law can drastically improve my father’s life and get help when he needs it the most. This was a life-changing event that motivated me to take driver education seriously. When I drive, I am responsible for human lives.

Yes, there is a law that can help people to get medical help after serious injuries, but law can’t save human lives. Only a driver education can prevent so many deadly car accidents, driver education can save the lives of the most deserving and vulnerable people who like my dad, get involuntarily involved in a deadly car crash, caused by a drank driver. My heart is getting broken seeing my dad suffer from a car crash. I hear stories about families getting hit by a drunk driver while crossing the street, small kids getting killed by a drunk driver – more and more of such stories. After the car accident with my dad, these stories become so personal for me. Driver education prevents these tragedies from happening.

War in Ukraine inspired me become a better and safer driver as well as help others become safer on the road.

In late February 2024, Volodymyr Zelensky says 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed during Russia’s full-scale invasion. I am comparing the numbers: more people die in a beautiful prospering US as a result of car crashes than Ukrainian solders fighting for my country’s freedom! These numbers are breaking my heart!

If Ukrainian solders are dying for freedom of their countries, people who die in car crashes are dying from negligence of others. They don’t have a chance to achieve their life goals! Families of Ukrainian can be proud of drastic contribution of Ukrainian solders who gave their lives to protect them. Loved ones of people who die in car accidents are only left with tragedy and suffering!

I am Ukrainian, Hispanic, and Asian American. I am first generation son of two hard-working immigrants. I rely on my hard work in reaching my education dream. After leaning these drastic numbers and comparing number of deaths in car crashes with number of deaths in my mom’s homeland Ukraine, I made only one right choice I could have made!

It is all about education for me! I am doing all my best to learn safe driving and practice safe driving. I educate my friends and classmates on safe driving.

Hearing my story makes everyone around me truly inspired: Do you want to contribute your life into making a drastic change to society whether it is saving lives of Ukrainian people, inventing a magical medicine, or becoming a best baseball player everyone admires OR do you want to ruin someone’s life in a car accident caused by your unsafe driving habits? We all have a chance to make a drastic positive contribution in life.

I do all my best to learn and practice safe driving habits and become a role model for others in safe driving.

I realized the strong power of driver education. Knowing and practicing safe driving can change this world to become a better place. Approximately 8 percent of all licensed drivers involved in fatal crashes are between 15 and 18 years old, and motor vehicle crashes remain the leading cause of death for this age group. I am inspired by these numbers in constantly sharing my life story and encouraging other young people to take driver education seriously and prevent so many deaths from happening on our roads! We are here in this world to make it a better place! We can’t risk lives of innocent people who constantly die in car crashes! We are here to save lives!