Driving; what it means to me

As a teen driver, I am well aware of the dangers the road has, especially for young people who are more susceptible to death when driving compared to older ages. This is because teens especially engage in more risky behavior behind the wheel; like texting and driving, drunk driving, reckless driving, and distracted driving. When going through Drivers Education to get a license my sophomore year, I noticed that driving was much more difficult and elaborate than I initially thought. I had to take 30 hours of an online course just to get my permit. Over and over I would watch all these tapes of teens getting into accidents; it was horrifying and not at all what I had anticipated when I dreamt about the freedom and excitement of driving for the first time. These crashes the online course showed as examples of risky driving were tragic; yet I noticed so preventable. These teen drivers who got into crashes would take their eyes off the road for just one moment and then a crash would occur. It just takes one second for a life to be changed forever. After I took this course, I must admit I was very nervous to get behind the wheel. Reiterated again and again through Drivers Education was the fact that driving is a huge responsibility.

Going to get my license was really an eye-opening experience for me, and a big part of growing up. I noticed that many new drivers focus on the freedom of getting to drive, and the newness of the opportunity. Getting your licence is a big part of growing up and taking responsibility for actions; but taking the keys means accepting the fact that you must obey the rules of the road. My parents really repeated this information again and again to me, especially as I began driving my two younger sisters, Megan and Rachel, to cross country practice every day. Initially, neither of them could sit in the front passenger seat, commonly known as the sucide seat because of the placement that commonly gets injured or killed during car crashes. I was not allowed to listen to music in the car, and all sorts of other rules were put in place to ensure that I was taking my sisters lives with utmost importance once I got behind the wheel. I was terrified of getting into an accident, and I avoided driving initially because of it. However, I gradually stepped into this new role and position, but still in the back of my head knew that at any minute it would be my fault if sisters got killed in a crash.

I believe that this constant awareness wasn’t a bad thing, because it ensured that absolute concentration was put out into the road. Really, driving should not be taken lightly. Every 4 years at my high school, Temecula Valley, the firefighters, teachers, and students would gather on Rancho Vista Road, the street next to our high school where cars often speed. Here, the whole school would watch a city wide teen drunk driving mock event. It was called every 15 minutes, as every 15 minutes lives are sadly lost due to drunk driving. This event I sadly didn’t get to witness in person, but my older brother, Blake, showed me a video of the event. This event doesn’t take place at our high school anymore, yet I wish it did. Students need to know before getting into vehicles intoxicated the real risks of driving under influence, and the devastating effects it can have on communities. This event draws attention to the importance of driving, the impact one’s decisions can have on others lives. Putting on an every 15 minutes mock event in high schools may take some time and effort; but I believe this can draw more understanding as to the true significance driving has. Many people cried during this event, as half of the people involved died from bloody injuries. Facts and figures about the dangers of driving may be helpful and englighting for some teenagers, but for others seeing in real life the impact of these decisions firsthand can really be shocking. Drunk driving, or any type of driving negligence, can have repercussions on communities that no one can realize until it is over.

In conclusion; I believe that driving is something no one should ever take lightly. It has far reaching influence on individuals and communities, not only that but lives are lost when a teenager gets behind the wheel without focus and clarity on what their actions can do. I think Driver’s Education, especially crash videos, really prepared me for taking the keys in my own life, with the responsibility of my two sisters. I can’t imagine the guilt I would feel every single day if I ever did anything behind the wheel to hurt them. For me, this obligation to my younger sisters means that every time I get behind the wheel I must be prepared and equipped to handle the dangers of the road. I think educating high schoolers with an every 15 minutes assembly can have huge benefits and raise awareness of the true hazards of driving.