The Difference Between Life and Death

One second. One second could be the difference in life and death. One wrong move, and all of the sudden your world is turned upside down. 1.35 million people are killed worldwide each year in car accidents. The good news is, this could be easily prevented.

Proper drivers education could save your life. Only 32 states require drivers ed for drivers under 18. Drivers education teaches you the basics of driving, but it also teaches you how to avoid and handle a threatening situation. Making yourself aware of different types of dangerous situations can help you be prepared if you ever find yourself dealing with one.

Reducing the number of deaths caused by driving is easier than one might think. While some things are out of our control, there are some things you can do to keep yourself and others safe. Wearing a seatbelt is one of the most important things a person can do when riding in a car. Of the 37,000 people who were killed from car accidents in 2017, 47% were not wearing a seatbelt. That’s about 17,000 people who might still be alive had they chosen to wear a seat belt. In 2018, 10,500 people died as a result of drunk driving. Imagine if no person ever got behind the wheel intoxicated ever again. Being educated and knowledgeable about these simple things could save your life.

Teenagers are arguably some of the most reckless drivers. There are so many distractions between phones, radios, and just plain carelessness. I can’t count the amount of times I’ve had to ask a friend to slow down, or put their cell phone away. All it takes is one glance to your phone for you to lose focus and cause an accident. In 2018, distracted driving, specifically texting and driving, was responsible for about 3,000 fatal car crashes.

I’ve never personally been in a car accident. However, I was affected by one way more than I ever thought I would be. In 2017, a 15 year old boy from my town was killed by a drunk driver. His name was Curtis Wilson. I never knew him. But his legacy, and his mothers testimony about what happened to her son has changed my life.

Every day when I get in my car, I am greeted with a small picture of Curt on my dash board. That picture serves as my reminder to always drive safe. To slow down a little bit. To wait to check a text message until I get where I’m going. Because when I get behind the wheel, my reckless driving could cause an accident that could not only affect me, but so many other people.