Seconds can save your life

Seconds
can save your life

Seconds are able to
change someone’s life completely.

A beautiful night,
full of stars in the sky. Coming back from a party with friends, good
life, having fun. What could go wrong? We think that nothing will
ever happen to us. Accidents are only on television, right? No,
unfortunately they are not.

This is what
happened to a close friend a year ago. He and two other friends were
coming back from a party at night, he was drunk, driving at high
speed, any of them had seatbelt on. Everything was fun for them, but
in a matter of seconds, the car crashed into to a tree. That was
enough to throw David out of the car, Gabriel to break his
collarbone, ribs and arm, and Pedro to hit his head which led to his
death. This sad story touched not only my heart but many young
people’s heart specially beginners’ drivers. He was an 18 years
old boy, enjoying his young life. It could have happened with anyone
who did not have the proper responsibilities. A small mistake was
enough to cause a big sad situation. It took the life of a young boy
and hurt his friends physically and emotionally.

It was something
that made me learn how important is to have drivers ed. Every
year, roughly 1.3 million people die in car accidents worldwide – an
average of 3,287 deaths per day. (Safer America, 2019) and
driver-related factors (i.e., error, impairment, fatigue, and
distraction) were present in almost 90% of crashes. (Virginia Tech
Transportation Institute, 2016). This responsibility is totally in
our hands, and we must be educated to change it. Knowing the rules,
the laws, being responsible and knowing what dangers we can face when
sitting in the driver’s seat is necessary to save your life, the life
of who is sitting in your car, who is in other cars, or even walking
on the street. This is the only way to reduce the number deaths as a
result of driving

In order to prevent
car accidents putting innocent’s lives in danger is necessary to
create steps to be able to have a driving license. First, theorical
lessons should be taught to make people learn the driving laws.
Second, a driving simulation to have an idea of how it is to drive
before going already to the streets. Third, driving in the streets
with an authorizer instructor to make sure everything is going
correctly and in a safe way. And lastly, a theorical and practical
exam to make sure everything necessary was learned. After getting the
exam, the driver should have a provisory license before having an
official one.

Thus, drivers will
know the importance of driving with maximum attention, being
responsible, driving slowly, following speed limitations, and without
any alcoholic substance in the body. Doing that drivers will be able
to save their lives and many others. Thereby, Pedro’s night could
have ended in another way, with a happy end.

Rafaela Carvalho