The Power in the Driver’s Seat

January 10th, 2019 is the day I realized that our lives are significantly vulnerable. It was a typical Thursday morning in my sophomore year of high school. I stuff my face with oatmeal while my dad drives me to my 0-period class. It’s 7:10 in the morning and I have 5 minutes to rush into my class because I don’t want to start the second semester with a tardy. Patiently waiting at the intersection by my school, the light finally turns green. However, I did not expect a car to speed through a red light at 50mph, crashing into the front side of our small Toyota Camry. “Holy sh*t,” my dad said right before the impact sent us spinning and hitting another car. Glass from the windows shattered and cut my skin. Immediately, my body felt severely bruised and my chest throbbed in pain. I have seen accidents on the side of the highway, but how did I become a victim of a car accident? Later, I found out that the driver was distracted by their phone. One moment of distraction almost cost my dad and I our lives.

Sitting in the driver’s seat gives a person undeniable power. In one second, one mistake can change the driver’s and another person’s life forever. This is why driver education is crucial to protecting others, reducing deaths, and preventing accidents as I have experienced. After receiving their driver’s license, sometimes people tend to get lazy or careless on the road. They consider themselves “experienced” and “confident” drivers, and could get comfortable and forget the power they hold on the road. I have seen countless cars speeding on surface streets and highways or not signaling when changing lanes. Unfortunately, an individual may never stop these bad habits unless something terrible happens to them or someone close to them. Everyone who drives should always be in the mindset of preventing something bad from happening rather than dealing with a situation that could have been easily prevented. Sometimes, everyone needs a reminder of the steps to being a safe and responsible driver.

Some of the most important safety measures include always wearing a seatbelt, driving at the speed limit, checking mirrors and signaling before changing lanes, maintaining enough distance between you and the car in front of you, and reading all road signs. In hazardous weather, drive slower and turn on your lights when it is foggy. Also, people should never drive while texting or under the influence of drugs or alcohol. These steps will help everyone and the cars around you safer. Lastly, it is important to always anticipate the actions of another driver. No matter how careful a person may be driving, someone else might be driving recklessly. I believe all schools should implement seminars and events where people simulate the dangers of reckless driving. Victims of car accidents should share their stories to instill in a student’s mind that the consequences of dangerous driving are real. For example, Every 15 Minutes provides juniors and seniors in high school with the reality of a car accident due to drunk driving. This simulation replicates the harsh reality of reckless driving. Every school should have access to Every 15 Minutes or at least have days dedicated to teaching the importance of safe driving.

Now that my friends and I have started to drive, the risk of getting into an accident does not necessarily have to increase. I share my story with other people because no one should go through that or even worse. From my experience, I learned that no text is worth my life or someone else’s. People may think, “I’m just gonna look at my phone for one second,” but that second can change your entire life. In the car with my friends, I remind them to not check their phones. If they need the music changed, I will change it. If they have to text someone, I will text them. If they think it’s really important, then we can pull over real quick. It’s much better to err on the safe side than put my life or my friends’ lives at risk.

Fortunately, my dad and I sustained a few minor injuries such as fractured ribs, bruising, and nerve damage to the knee. My family will never know why the driver chose to be on the phone knowing the dangerous risk. No matter what the reason, the driver’s mistake almost cost the lives of myself, my dad, and anyone else near us. Driver education is necessary to teach the importance of practicing safe driving because not everyone will get a second chance to live like my dad and I did.