The Road We Choose

The music was low, the windows were down, and the night air felt cool against my face. I wasn’t the one driving, but I remember gripping the door handle just a little tighter as the car sped down the winding road. The driver—someone I considered responsible—was laughing, barely paying attention as they took a sharp turn too fast. For a split second, the tires lost traction, and the car swerved toward the edge of the road. My heart jumped into my throat. I thought, this is it. But just as quickly as it happened, the driver corrected the wheel, still laughing, brushing it off like it was nothing.

I forced a nervous chuckle, but inside, I felt shaken. What if the car had spun out? What if we had flipped? What if another car had been coming from the other direction? That night stuck with me, not just because of the fear, but because of how easy it had been to take that risk—how simple it was for one small decision to almost change everything.

Driving is one of the most freeing things in the world, but it’s also one of the most dangerous. Every time someone gets behind the wheel, they are taking responsibility not just for their own life, but for everyone else on the road. It’s easy to forget that cars are thousands of pounds of metal moving at high speeds and that a single mistake—one text, one glance away, one second of impatience—can have devastating consequences. So many of the accidents that happen every day aren’t just bad luck. They’re the result of choices, some careless, some reckless, but almost always preventable.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), over 42,000 people died in motor vehicle accidents in the U.S. in 2022. That’s 42,000 lives lost—parents, friends, siblings—many of whom could still be here if different choices had been made. Distracted driving, speeding, impaired driving, and reckless behaviors are some of the most common causes of fatal crashes, yet people continue to take these risks, assuming nothing bad will happen to them.

One of the most important ways to prevent accidents and save lives is through proper driver education. Learning to drive isn’t just about memorizing road signs or passing the driving test—it’s about understanding the real responsibility that comes with being in control of a vehicle. Too often, people, especially younger drivers, develop a false sense of confidence. They speed because they think they can handle it. They glance at their phones because they assume nothing will happen in those few seconds. But the reality is that accidents don’t wait for a convenient moment. They happen fast, and once they do, there’s no rewinding time. Proper driver education goes beyond the basics of operating a car. It teaches defensive driving—anticipating hazards, understanding the behavior of other drivers, and knowing how to react in dangerous situations. It also reinforces the importance of staying focused, avoiding distractions, and recognizing the devastating effects of impaired driving. However, education alone isn’t enough. People must take these lessons to heart and apply them every time they get behind the wheel.

Beyond education, real change starts with accountability. Laws against reckless driving, texting behind the wheel, and driving under the influence exist for a reason, but they only work if people take them seriously. Stricter enforcement and harsher penalties could deter some dangerous behaviors, but ultimately, it’s up to drivers to hold themselves and each other accountable. It’s uncomfortable to tell a friend to slow down or put their phone away, but those conversations could be the difference between life and death.

I’ve never been in a serious car accident, but I’ve seen plenty of close calls. I’ve been in cars where people have taken risks just for the thrill of it, where speeding felt more like a game than a danger. I’ve watched family members glance at their phones, assuming they had enough time to look away. And I’ve seen the guilt in someone’s eyes after realizing they barely avoided a crash. The thing about driving is that we assume we’re always in control—until suddenly, we’re not.

One of the biggest issues today is distracted driving. Phones are the most obvious culprit, but distractions come in many forms—eating, adjusting the radio, talking to passengers, even daydreaming. A driver might think they are only looking away for a second, but at 60 mph, a car travels 88 feet in just one second. That’s nearly the length of a basketball court. A lot can happen in that distance—a child running into the street, a car slamming on its brakes, a light turning red. Those few seconds of distraction can mean the difference between stopping safely and a tragedy. Impaired driving is another major issue. Whether it’s alcohol, drugs, or even fatigue, anything that slows reaction time and impairs judgment is a danger. Too often, people think they are “fine to drive” when they are not. They assume they can handle it, that they aren’t as affected as others. But impaired driving doesn’t care about confidence—it only takes one bad decision to destroy lives.

So how do I become a better driver? It starts with the small decisions. Putting my phone out of reach so I’m not tempted to check it. Leaving earlier so I don’t feel the need to speed. Staying fully present every time I get behind the wheel. It means reminding myself that driving isn’t just routine—it’s a responsibility, one that I can’t afford to take lightly.But it’s not just about me. It’s about helping others become safer drivers, too. That means speaking up when I see someone driving irresponsibly, even when it’s uncomfortable. It means encouraging my friends to take driving seriously, to make good choices, and to recognize that one small decision can change everything. Maybe it also means supporting better driver education programs, advocating for safer road designs, or simply being an example of what a responsible driver looks like.

I don’t want to be the reason someone gets hurt, and I don’t want to be the one who has to live with regret because I didn’t take driving seriously enough. I want to be in control, not just of the car, but of my choices, my awareness, my responsibility. Driving will always come with risks, but the choices we make can determine how big those risks are. We can’t control everything on the road, but we can control how we respond, how much attention we give, and how seriously we take the responsibility of being in the driver’s seat. Because at the end of the day, driving isn’t just about getting from one place to another—it’s about making sure we, and everyone around us, get there safely.