The Importance of Caution

Over
a million of people lose their lives a year due to careless acts when
driving. However, it would be millions more if it weren’t for driver
education. Drivers ed is essential because as common as it is,
driving can be very dangerous which is why there are so many crucial
rules set in place. Without a mutual understanding of these rules,
the roads would be absolute chaos and driving would do more harm than
good for society. Being educated as a driver puts all drivers to some
level of agreement on what is to be considered right and wrong;
communication is at a balance when everyone is knowledgeable. One
thing that drivers can do to reduce the high number of deaths is
actually follow all of these rules. So many lives are lost when
people decide not to put their education to use when on the road.
People think it’s okay to do certain things simply because a police
officer isn’t around but it leads to a lot of accidents with even
worse consequences than just being pulled over by an officer. Another
thing that people can do is pay attention when driving. There have
been countless times where people don’t take the extra two seconds to
make the right decisions. Those few moments could be the deciding
factor between life and death. Whether it’s taking seconds to look
at a text, a second to look both ways at a stop sign, or a second to
let a pedestrian cross the street, it’s important to know what a
moment can change in one’s life. These two steps are very crucial
to staying safe as a driver.

I
once almost got into a car accident a few months ago when I first got
my licence. I was still a new driver, so making quick and educated
decisions on the road were still far from second nature to me. The
occurrence happened on a sunny day after school. I was ravenous and
the new chicken sandwich from Popeyes had just come out so I decided
to drive to my local popeyes to give it a try. As expected, it was
unimaginably crowded and being a new driver, I was intimidated by the
overwhelming number of cars surrounding me. I went through the drive
through with great caution and successfully purchased my meal, but
coming out of the parking lot, things quickly went downhill. As I was
exiting to merge onto the road perpendicular to the exit of the
parking lot, I almost hit another car that was rushing down the road.
Everything is now mostly a blur, but I can remember our cars being no
more than an inch away from an intense collision. Aside from the
sounds of the drivers consistent honks, all I could hear were my
thoughts screaming at me from inside my head. I was completely in
shock and utterly frightened. Thankfully, I got home safe and I
reflected on what had happened. From that moment on, I made a vow to
myself that I will drive with the utmost caution and with the
constant reminder that although I know of my intentions, I can’t be
the judge of whether or not another driver is going to stop or slow
down unless they indicate those actions in obvious ways. Other
precautions I’ve taken since the incident are slowing down slightly
at intersections even when I have the right of way just to ensure
that another car isn’t going to just cut in front of me, I
communicate with other drivers using hand motions and/or the blinker,
and I also am sure to fully respect speed limits, stop signs, and
other traffic signs to prevent any careless accidents. These
precautions and tactics of mindfulness have truly made me a better
driver. Although I did have a scary experience, it was also an
important moment that opened my eyes to the world of safety.