Avoiding a Premature Eulogy

Isabella
“Rin” Trunzo

March
30, 2020

Grade
12

Avoiding
a Premature Eulogy

Driver
education is wildly important for decreasing the number of deaths as
a result of driving because educated drivers are more thoroughly
prepared for comporting themselves appropriately while on the road,
so they are less likely to make seemingly small mistakes that could
have a huge impact such as not stopping and looking at stop signs,
reckless merging, and speeding. So many people who drive
irresponsibly do it out of lack of awareness of how their unsafe
driving affects the people around them, so they do not understand why
safe driving is so important. A major step that can be taken to
reduce the number of deaths related to driving is to practice
defensive driving. According to standard Safe Practices for Motor
Vehicle Operations, ANSI/ASSE Z15.1, defensive driving is “driving
to save lives, time, and money, in spite of the conditions around you
and the actions of others.” Defensive driving skills include
staying focused, closely monitoring your speed, and not assuming that
other drivers will behave exactly as you expect them to. When I was 6
years old. I stayed with my great-aunt for a couple of days so that
my parents could go on a trip to Lake Tahoe, and while they were
driving back to pick me and my sister up after the trip, they lost
control on the icy road and the truck they were in spun and crashed.
They were extremely lucky to walk away with only some bruised bodies,
egos, and confidence and they did not have to even go to the
hospital. While I was not in the car, the news of the accident had
everybody pretty shaken up and the memory has not been readily
forgotten. In order to be a better and safer driver, I can continue
to stay alert and distraction-free while driving, I can assume that
other drivers are not driving defensively, and I can avoid driving
when I am not confident in my ability to react appropriately and
quickly while on the road. If everybody practices these same
techniques and if they were just more aware of themselves and their
actions, the road would be much safer as a whole.