A Responsible Driver

The sound of Fleetwood Mac lightly drifted throughout the car, reaching my ears. My eyes were glued to my LeapFrog tablet as my dad drove while talking to my mom in the passenger seat. Suddenly, I felt the car jolt to the side and my stomach dropped. My eyes moved from my tablet to see a blue convertible spreading past us after sideswiping us. My adrenaline subsided as my parents pulled into the closet parking lot, eventually followed by the convertible and later a car with flashing red and blue lights. At the time, my four-year-old mind didn’t understand what exactly had occurred, but I knew it wasn’t good or particularly safe. Fortunately, everyone was okay and there was minimal car damage. Ever since that day, the memory remains to me of my first car accident.

Due to progressive progress in our society, cars provide a form of transportation that is essential to daily life. The expansion of urbanization and technology has ultimately forced the majority to obtain a driver’s license for convenience. Along with that comes the responsibility for your life and the lives of everyone on the road. I still remember my eagerness to turn sixteen and become more independent through driving. That eagerness was soon accompanied by awareness. I had been in a few minor car accidents when I was younger, but once I was behind the wheel I understood how quickly one’s life could change while driving. At stop lights, I watched drivers respond to texts on their phones. I watched as cars drove by with drivers distracted by Facetime calls. I watched my friends fiddle with the radio to find the perfect song for the drive to swim practice. I watched younger drivers break simple laws likely due to them not properly knowing them. I remember seeing the news alerts of accidents ending in casualties: a local family all killed by a drunk driver coming back from vacation, a nineteen-year-old boy who got hit while skateboarding, stories of bad road conditions from the weather. I remember my jaw dropped as my friend told me of a car accident where three of our lifelong classmates were injured, one injury even affecting a girl’s sports scholarship. Countless stories and experiences have proven the importance of making educated decisions behind the wheel. With motor vehicle accidents being consistently one of the leading causes of death, becoming and staying a knowledgeable and safe driver is crucial to not contributing to the growing number of deaths.

It is not enough to simply react quickly to an unexpected occurrence on the road; a driver must be able to predict likely hazards and make informed decisions to avoid a potentially dangerous circumstance. As my mom constantly told me growing up, “It’s not necessarily you who’s being unsafe, but all the other cars around you”. When I entered the drivers’ school, I had a schema of what the classes and the drives with instructors would look like. I quickly discovered the extensive knowledge needed to be a safe driver. While feeling overwhelmed and anxious after seeing the huge liability of being a driver, my butterflies eased as I recognized the advantage of being over-prepared and thoroughly informed. Through my experience, as well as observations of others, I believe I know the proper steps needed to accomplish safe driving:

1. As a driver, you should be open to continuously learning new things. A responsible driver knows updated laws, weather conditions, construction, traffic levels, and much more. If someone has a fixed mindset when it comes to driving, they will be less likely to make the necessary decision in a dangerous situation.

2. A safe driver should also be able to block out distractions. As the person operating the vehicle, you are partially answerable for everyone’s lives on the road. Distractions such as music, cell phones, and other passages can take your attention away from where it is most needed: the road and the vehicles driving on it.

3. The use of defensive driving every time you’re behind the wheel is critical to avoiding potential hazards. By using turn signals, maintaining a following distance, observing other cars, and adjusting due to road conditions are all various ways to prevent an unfortunate outcome.

4. And potentially most important of all, share your knowledge and experience of driving with others! I can recall various tips and treats I’ve received from family and friends about driving. Calling out others for their poor behavior while on the road could potentially save future lives. As members of society, we must all be advocates for driving education to protect our society’s future.

While my personal experience with driving is still limited, I have seen the rippling effects reckless driving has on our communities. By joining together to make a commitment to dedicate ourselves to being a responsible driver, we work to promote a safer driving culture.