Vehicles Are Weapons

The definition of a weapon is a thing typically use to inflict bodily harm and destruction or physical damage. Why can people get behind the wheel and drive carelessly daily but are weary when holding a gun? I am a daughter of a United States Veteran, he was taken from my family and I due to a careless drunk driver. Someone decided to get behind the wheel and take the life of an innocent man, a father, grandfather, a friend, and mentor. That’s how simple it is, one wrong choice changed the trajectory of many lives. One irresponsible decision turned into a night I will never forget and will heal from forever. People do not realize how serious getting behind the wheel and driving is. Ask anyone around you and they will tell you that they have witnessed someone close to them participating in some form of distracted or unsafe driving. These are the cold hard truths. Speed kills. Distracted and irresponsible driving kills. You should be careful while in a vehicle. Always in the right state of mind and paying attention to your surroundings. There should be no form of distractions and both hands should be on the wheel. Buckle up your seatbelt and follow the rules of the road. Know the speed limit and stay aware of other things and drivers on the road. If more people treated vehicles as what they are, something that can take a life or inflict great bodily harm, more people would be weary of making the wrong decisions. The more people are educated on the importance of practicing and participating in safe driving the more it helps create responsible drivers, leading to less fatalities on the road. As a community we need to emphasize the importance behind not driving under the influence. The more that people are aware of the dangers, the more those things can be avoided. I believe there are many things we can do to achieve a safer world for all of us. First things first, we need to take a stand against distracted driving of all forms. If you see something, say something. We cannot just sit around and let people potentially put others’ lives in harm’s way. Do not be afraid to stand up for what is right and stand against life-saving advice. Wear your seatbelt, this need to be mandatory for everyone, including babies, dogs, and other big items in the car. We should ban all phone use on the roadways and encourage our loved ones to put it away while driving. Remember all it takes is a couple of seconds of your eyes being from the road and it can create a car accident. Due to the tragedy of what happened to my father, I believe vehicles should have a required to have an ignition interlock device that does not allow the car to start if the driver is under the influence. Due to the increase of fatal drinking and driving accidents over the years, I do not see it being an issue if people are following the laws and not putting others at risk. There should be a zero tolerance when it comes to drugs and alcohol behind the wheel. We should encourage the use of alternatives like taxis, ride share apps, and or calling a friend or family member to come pick you up. There needs to be safety prevention and organizations that talk about the risks of getting behind the wheel. There needs to be a bigger consequence when it comes to the many forms of distracted driving. If the ticket is hefty or jailtime behind the crime is steep, people might think twice. The more people aware of the dangers, the safer we all are. When people get too comfortable behind the wheel, bad things start to happen. They may feel more comfortable to text back, change a song from their mobile device, eat, the list goes on and on and it only gets worse. We need to take a stand. It starts with us, with our loved ones, we must spread the word of driver safety and vehicle education. By practicing being a safe driver and encouraging others to do the same, you may be saving lives. Whether you are witnessing a driver acting irresponsibly or being one, safety should always be a number one priority no matter what. Safe driving saves lives. Remember to always set an example, be responsible and make the right decisions.