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It’s More Than Just Your Freedom

Name: Sophia Fuchs
From: Annapolis, MD
Votes: 0

When you take a hold
of the wheel of a car, you are also taking into your hands your own
life, and the lives of those around you. Driving is such a familiar
task, that we rarely stop to think about the weight of the
responsibility that lies on our shoulders as drivers. If someone
asked you to get into the cockpit and fly a plane, wouldn’t you
hesitate? After all, it is several tons of metal traveling at high
velocities with the fate of many other lives in you hands. Piloting a
car isn’t that different, yet we do it all the time. It is an
essential part of daily life, but it doesn’t have to be fatal. The
simple act of being aware and making the right choice can be the
difference between life and death.

One of the most
important things that can reduce driving related fatalities, is
encouraging more people to wear their seatbelts. Your chances of
dying in a crash go up with the needle of the speedometer, and
increase exponentially if you’re not wearing a seatbelt. A study in
2017 showed that 47% of the 37,133 people killed in motor vehicle
accidents that year were not wearing a seatbelt. How many of those
people would have survived if they had just paused to buckle up? In
fact, an estimated 15,000 lives are saved each year in the US because
vehicle occupants are properly restrained during a crash. Putting on
your seatbelt should be a no brainer, it takes barely a few seconds
and it is statistically proven to save thousands of lives.

Another huge factor
of car accidents is irresponsible driving, whether it be distracted
driving, driving under the influence, ignorance, or noncompliance of
road laws. Because you and other cars are traveling at high speeds,
it requires your full attention to safely react and communicate to
the drivers around you. Often times, accidents will happen because a
driver is unsure and behaves erratically, or is simply not paying
attention to their surroundings. Obstacles on the road, like a car
stopping suddenly or a kid running into the street, usually appear
abruptly, and you have only seconds to react. Even at peak
concentration, that sometimes isn’t enough, let alone if you are
looking at your phone, having an argument with a passenger, or are
under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or fatigue, which all increase
reaction time. The road is an unpredictable place, and paying
attention at all times is essential for everyone’s safety.

When I was 13 years
old, my family and I were in an accident on the last day of school. A
truck ran a red light as we were trying to cross an intersection hit
us so hard, our car spun 90 degrees and was pushed across the road. I
still remember the sickening crunch of metal, and feeling my head
abruptly forced against the window. I was the only one sitting on the
side of impact, only a few feet in front of the collision point. I
sustained a mild head trauma, and my entire rib cage shifted about a
centimeter to the left. Had I been sitting in the back, who knows
what would’ve happened to me. It was such a shock, because you
never think it’ll happen to you. One minute, everything was normal.
I was thinking about how excited I was for summer camp. The next,
someone is calling 911, there are firetrucks everywhere, and I’m
wondering if I’ll be taken away from my mother in an ambulance.
Fortunately, none of us were seriously injured, but it was a huge
wake up call for me. I learned a valuable lesson that day; No matter
how good of a driver you are, no matter how responsible and safe, you
can’t predict the actions of others, and that is the scariest part.
That’s why it is essential that we are teaching our drivers
to be safe and smart.

Drivers ed
can prepare teens for the responsibility of driving. It helps them
know what to expect, and gives them the chance to fully understand
the risks they are taking, so they can make the best choice for
themselves and others. Education makes smarter drivers. Smarter
drivers means less accidents, less fatalities, less lives ruined by
someone’s stupid mistake. Irresponsible driving is no joke, that is
why I am a proud advocate of doing the right thing. I am currently
studying to be a driver myself. I have finished my drivers ed
course, and I’m in the process of putting in my hours of practice.
My past experience has stayed with me throughout this whole process.
I know I only have control over my actions, so I have to make sure
they are the best ones possible. So when your parents hand you the
keys to the car, they’re handing you more than just your freedom.
They are handing you a responsibility that can’t be taken lightly,
so make sure you’re prepared.