The Road to Saving Lives

The importance of driver education in reducing the number of deaths due to of reckless driving first starts with awareness. I remember when I was in Junior High School, we started to have volunteers come into classes and educate us on safe driving. They would show videos that showed the after math of texting and driving. The video showed a younger girl, around my age at the time, walking home from school. She was with her friends, and they were laughing and sharing all about their day. However, there was a teenage boy speeding down the road behind the group of girls. He got a buzz from his pocket, and without hesitation almost like a reflex to the vibration, he grabbed it from his pocket. The joyful girl came upon the crosswalk. The stop light had turned red, and they got the signal from the meter to cross. As they stepped onto the black and white road the boy who received the text proceeded to respond, neglecting the red light and the impending life changing even that followed after he hit send. This video hit me in the heart and from there I knew I never wanted to be the cause of killing someone through driving. I loved how the school provided the educational opportunity for young people to learn about the importance of safe driving years before they would get behind the wheel.

Reducing the number of deaths related to driving has not only improved individually but as a society. Over the years car technology has evolved with the purpose of making driving more safe. In most cars now you can sync your phone to the car and the speaker will read your texts, letting you respond without your eyes leaving road or you taking your hands off the wheel. As for individual improvement, there has been a wave of information increasing awareness. Taking inventory with yourself first. I’ve noticed that more and more people have started to put their phones on Do Not Disturb when driving. I’ve always had my phone on Do Not Disturb while driving. This has helped me a lot because I am not tempted to check my phone and I know the person on the other end gets an automatic response stating I am driving and will receive the next when I arrive at my destination. I relieves the stress that comes from worrying that my friends think I’m ignoring them.

I know this isn’t just something that has helped me, my family and friends have expressed how it has helped them drive safer too. Every time they get a notification of Do Not Disturb, it reminds them to do likewise. Steps like putting your phone on silent or Do Not Disturb are a great way to help reduce deaths by driving.

Another step to help reduce deaths by driving are ordering a Waymo, Uber, Lift, or designating a driver when under the influence. Being in my first year in college I have seen a lot of my friends use Waymo as their ride and not driving after drinking. Its easy and simple. I have also heard people say driving high is no different than driving sober. They later on proved to me it is not the same after I found out they got into an accident with serious injuries and a death. ‘Under the influence’ is more than just alcohol, it’s anything that can alter the state of your mind. Even prescription drugs will have warning labels that say “Do not operate heavy machinery”.

Another step to help reduce death related driving accidents is to drive with the right state of mind. Being overly emotional, crying, hitting your steering wheel in frustration, or getting upset at other drivers, is never safe. As much as they show that in the movies when people get in a fight or get angry, they jump in their car and speed away, blast the music and let the road take their worries away. What they are really doing is putting themselves and others in harm’s way.

Speeding is a big factor in driving related deaths. We’ve all been on the freeway and that one person came flying down in the lane next to you. It’s always startling and sometimes lead to a crash. I have experienced being in a car accident with my whole family. We were visiting my hometown and had to borrow a family friends’ car for the weekend. On the last day of our trip we were heading to go out to dinner. The music was playing faintly in the background while me and my sister talked in the back seat. I remember me laughing at something she had said then before I could respond I heard my mom gasp. Everything went silent and dark for what felt like forever. Before I could register what had happened my mom was shaking me asking if I was okay. I looked around to see that we were in a ditch. My mom had dad managed to get me and my sister out of the crinkled-up car. During that time the two guys who had hit us driving went to go sit on the hill and continue their smoking session. However, we were all able to get checked out and everyone was thankfully okay.

Going back to spreading awareness like the volunteers in my Junior High School, I like to encourage those around to make smart and safe decisions when getting behind the wheel. I knew long before I got my permit that I would never want to be the reason someone passed away due to my driving. I’ve always been super cautious when I am driving with myself or with others in the car. My friends have said many times how encouraging my driving is, and how they want to take after my example, even if it comes with a little teasing about my caution. I always watch the speed limits, look both ways when turning, put phone on Do Not Disturb, keep my music at a reasonable volume so I can hear my surroundings, and use my blinkers. The little things add up in the end, and could end up saving a life.