In the Driver’s Seat: Lessons in Safe Driving

One memory that would change how I feel towards driving for the rest of my life would have to be the day I hydroplaned and crashed my truck into a telephone pole. It had rained all afternoon, and the roadways were slick from hours of steady rain. Driving on a route I normally took, I felt confident with my ability to operate my truck under any conditions. That confidence was misplaced. Until, while going up a curve, it suddenly lost purchase on the ground; the tires slid across the slick asphalt, and the steering suddenly went slack in my grasp. Those terrifying seconds in which I couldn’t do anything at all with the vehicle that veered off the road to slam with a deafening crash into a telephone pole.

The moment when the truck finally rested, my heartbeat ran wildly, and I was out of my bearings. I sat there for a second, dumbfounded, until I realized just how lucky I was not to hurt anything. The truck, however, was totally destroyed. All I could think about as I stood outside in the rain, taking in a glance at the crumpled front end of the vehicle and the bent telephone pole, was how much worse it could have been. What if I had hit another car? What if that pole fell or if somebody had been standing there? It was an overwhelming realization, just like the crash itself, of what just could have happened.

That day taught me several lessons, not just on how to be a better driver but more importantly about responsibility and preparation. Though I thought I was driving cautiously, the truth is I was never that prepared. I had never considered how much wet roads reduce friction on tires, how even the most usual route might become treacherous when the weather is bad. Those things had been taught in driver education, but until I experienced the consequences myself, I didn’t really appreciate them.

Driver education will help prevent accidents of this nature. It gives drivers both knowledge and hands-on skills that run the gamut from handling emergency maneuvers to how weather conditions may affect the road. My course had taught me to remain composed during an emergency and not overreact by slamming on the brakes when the car started to skid. These are some of the lessons which came into my mind during the pre-crash moments, and I strongly feel that they helped a lot in not aggravating the accident. Driver’s education knowledge is helpful only when one puts it into practice. After the crash, it finally dawned on me that I had become complacent. I am more aware now than I was then of just how my tires-which by that time were overdue for replacement and may have contributed to the hydroplaning-were in a state of disrepair. I now realize that I also failed to adjust my driving speed sufficiently for wet highway driving. These lessons stuck to heart and have been implemented in my driving ever since.

Now, I am a much more cautious driver and respect the danger that comes along with the privilege. I can regularly be found checking my tires, making sure the tread isn’t worn down too low and that they are properly inflated. I also drive much slower in bad weather, no matter how big of a hurry I may be in. It’s always better to be late than to never arrive at all. My accident also inspired me to share my story with others, especially my peers who are newer drivers like me. Many of them treat driving as a casual activity, not realizing how quickly things can go wrong. I’ve had conversations with friends about the importance of being prepared and attentive behind the wheel.

Some even went so far as to say that they had never been aware of tire maintenance or how much rain could lengthen the braking distance. It appeared that my experience had opened their eyes to the realties of driving and the need for every precaution taken.Besides bringing changes in my own practice, I also shared my concern with others. For example, I make it sure that my passengers wear their seat belts; and, inform my friends not to text or call on the phone while driving. Additionally, I also encourage some of them to take a defensive driving class in order to improve their driving skills. Besides being terrifying, my accident was very costly. It served as an eye-opener that indeed helped me improve and become a much safer driver. It then made me notice the wide importance of driver education, not only as a one-time course, but rather a foundation for lifelong learning and improvement. This again brought to my thoughts that driving was a huge privilege, not a right, and with it came a huge responsibility for keeping myself and all others on the road safe. For the last couple of months, I promised myself to be more observant and not to stop learning. I’ll sign up in advanced driving courses that could help me behave better in critical situations. Since that time, I started to pay closer attention to all road safety campaigns and distributed the word to others. Recently, I saw a video regarding the dangers of distracted driving and shared it with the pack of friends. It was driving-a thing we all take so for granted-but my experience taught me that it is one continuous act that requires focus, preparation, and respect for the road’s unpredictability. The day I crashed into that telephone pole could have gone much worse; instead, it turned into a lesson to carry for the rest of my life. Applying what I have learned and hopeful that others will do the same, together we may make the roads just a little bit safer.