Call Me When You Get Home

“Call me when you get home.” Each one of my friends and loved ones can attest to hearing this statement from me on the regular. Whenever I know they’re leaving home or going anywhere, I tell them that. It may seem a little annoying, especially when I call them if they had not called me within a reasonable timespan, but I only do it out of care. I understand that each time we leave our homes and get into our cars, we run the risk of being harmed in an accident. I understand that no one wants to think about the potential harms and dangers surrounding driving, yet it is a reality that far too many people face daily. I remember how nervous and excited I was to get my license in high school, I finally felt like having my own car was a rite of passage, and then I got into my first car accident three months later. I was a super careful driver, but it happened. I was not texting or talking on my phone, but the other driver was distracted and changed lanes without seeing me. Thankfully, I was not injured, but I still have driving anxiety all these years later. My minor accident was three years ago, and I will admit that I had allowed myself to become distracted by my surroundings when driving. I had another wake-up call when I learned my fifteen-year-old sister had been in an accident on her way to school with a friend. Her friend had just gotten her license the day before and a speeding car ran through a stop sign. Their accident was way worse and luckily my sister’s injuries only required a few months of physical therapy to recover from. 

I personally feel as though the importance of safe driving is not stressed enough in drivers ed. A lot of people believe that these things won’t happen to them, but they can, and they will if drivers are not being safe and smart. We all can avoid and prevent the senseless deaths that result from car accidents. Accidents are preventable, so long as drivers, as a collective, remember to use their knowledge and be considerate of not only themselves but the lives of others as well. I made the choice to play my part in being a safe driver and I make that choice every day. I will continue to fuss at anyone in my presence that picks up their phone when driving, and I would hope they pass that knowledge on to others. No one is invincible. Text messages can wait, phone calls can wait, changing songs that are playing can wait. I would rather everyone tough through that one song they hate if it means that another person will be able to call their loved one when they get home.