It Only Takes One Second

It
Only Takes One Second

Driving. 
When I hear this word, I think of being in a car cruising around the
neighborhood listening to music with friends. This is fun, but
driving is a privilege and shouldn’t be taken lightly. Too often
accidents and fatalities are caused by distracted drivers, or those
who simply don’t follow the rules of the road.  It could be
someone texting, looking through their playlist, trying to make phone
calls, or even following the person in front of them too closely.
Drivers ed programs are essential to teach drivers the
importance of safety on the road — following all the rules and
knowing how to be a defensive driver because it only takes one second
for something to go wrong.  Following even the most basic rules,
can help to keep one from getting into or causing an accident. Rules
such as putting your phone away, pulling over when tired, obeying the
speed limit, keeping your distance, wearing a seatbelt, and always
being alert will save a life.

I
am speaking from experience.  Despite knowing the rules of safe
driving, especially the need to be well rested, I didn’t realize
how quickly sleep could creep up on me. My parents reminded me daily
to get enough sleep and pull over if I start to feel drowsy.  It
was 10:00 on a Friday night and I was headed home after a long day.
Just three blocks from home I began to feel drowsy. The next thing I
remember was waking up to the sound of a crash. I hit a mailbox!
 This
was a frightening, but valuable experience.  I took
responsibility to pay for the deductible and apologized to the people
I affected.  This taught me to think before getting behind the
wheel.

Drivers
education programs are a great beginning to learn rules for safe
driving. However, once people earn their license, there is no
motivation to remember these important rules.  Due to the
increased use of technology, phones have become a big issue. 
Too many people are distracted by their phone while driving. This is
one of the main causes of car accidents.  According to the
National Safety Council, an estimated 38,800 people lost their lives
to car crashes in 2019. That number can be reduced by following the
laws and rules taught in drivers ed.  Therefore,
states who don’t currently require a written test prior to renewing
their license should bring it back.  

As
for myself, I remember the lessons taught in drivers ed and
my experiences on the road.  I know that a car being driven by
someone who doesn’t follow the rules can become a weapon. I believe
my accident is a reminder for me to stay alert and obey the laws of
the road when I’m about to drive.  I also put my phone on “do
not disturb” mode so I don’t get distracted. This is necessary
and worth the effort because it only takes one second to save a life.