In the Blink of an Eye

I’ve heard it a thousand times–”Nothing is more important than your safety. Drive safely!” My parents say this all the time as I walk out the door to drive somewhere. And they said those same words 10 years ago when I would ride my bike to play at a friend’s house in the neighborhood. I honestly heard them say this so many times that the phrase was almost like saying “goodbye” as I walked out the door. Now, I say those words to myself as I turn on the ignition, and I say them to my friends when we’re all heading home after our late band rehearsal. Because it’s true—nothing is more important than our safety—except maybe our health, which I would say is equally as important.

As fun as driving can be in South Carolina, with the open roads and beach side towns, it’s equally as dangerous. My home state of South Carolina is the #4 ranked state for fatal car accidents in the United States, with 1.9 fatal crashes per 10,000 residents. Kids can apply for a learner’s permit at age 15, get a provisional license 180 days after that, and a restricted license at the age of 16. All of this seems very young, particularly if you consider the congestion in some of the South Carolina cities, such as Columbia and Charleston. Add in the speed limit of 70mph on many of our highways, and it’s easy to understand why many don’t survive a car accident here. The last month however, has re-shaped my perspective on driver education, helmet laws and the age at which kids should be allowed to start driving.

On October 26, 2024 I was happily participating in Trunk or Treat at my high school, because my marching band was putting on the event to recruit new members. Our numbers have been low since Covid, because students now entering high school were the ones who would have been starting middle school band four years ago. Some stayed with band, but many dropped out, because, quite frankly, learning a new instrument over Zoom just isn’t the same as learning to play in person. But that’s besides the point. My evening on October 26^th was spent chatting all about band and enjoying my last high school Trunk or Treat, since I’m a senior and will be graduating in May 2025. Car fatalities, motorcycles and helmet laws were the furthest things from my mind.

In the blink of an eye, that all changed. When I got home that night I learned devastating news. One of our family friends, my mom’s friend of almost forty years, had died in a motorcycle accident in New York a few days earlier. How could this be? Who even rides a motorcycle in New York? Our dear friend had been a passenger on a motorcycle on a busy New York highway at 5:30pm. But it’s not even dark then, so how could this have happened? These questions have run through my mind for the last month, and I still have no answers.

Now, when I get in my car, whether I’m the driver or a passenger, I am very aware of safety. Is it raining? Is it foggy? Is there a lot of traffic? I need to take all of this into account, as well as many more factors. Driver education class and driving lessons are required in South Carolina and they taught me a lot—the rules of the road, how to be vigilant and to expect the unexpected. I wouldn’t trade it for the world, and the fact that all of it was with a seasoned instructor, made a huge difference. My instructor was completely calm during our driving lessons, even in traffic and on the highway going full speed. He gave me a different perspective from driving with my parents, and I was so impressed that four of my friends and their siblings have also learned from him. My brother is actually starting with him in January 2025. All of this driver education has made me a safe driver, but I now question—is it enough?

Formal driver education has proven to be invaluable to me, but there are other steps that I believe should also be taken to improve road safety, ultimately reducing the number of deaths related to driving. Since my family friend passed away due to a motorcycle accident, I am very aware of how dangerous motorcycles can be, and also how unexpected their presence can be to drivers. In South Carolina, motorcycles often ride in between the lanes, and I rarely see helmets worn. Helmets are only required for riders under the age of 21, and this makes no sense to me. I believe they should be required of all motorcycle riders, regardless of age. I also plan to take the motorcycle class even though I don’t ever plan to ride one. One of my teachers told me that he and his son ride motorcycles and that he recommends everyone take the class because it teaches awareness of surroundings, even more than regular driver education. And I believe awareness is another key factor to safe driving. Ideally, I’d like to see this information included in all driver education programs, not just for motorcyclists. I plan to take this class in 2025 and I’m truly looking forward to hearing this perspective. I believe this is one step that I can take to become a better and safer driver. I also believe helmets should be required, and that the penalty to ride in between lanes as a motorcycle rider should be very high.

On a personal note, steps that I now regularly take to help others become safer on the road is that I check-in with my friends before we all get in our cars to head home. I not only like to make sure that everyone is alert, but I remind them to take their time and be aware of the weather, whether it’s a little drizzle, the glaring South Carolina sun, or just a very dark road.