Name: Jessica Jeremiah
From: Richmond, TX
Votes: 1
Your
Actions Have Consequences
Driver’s
Education… A dreaded, yet crucial necessity in becoming a mindful
and capable driver. The importance of drivers ed is to
ensure that the individual is confident in their understanding in the
knowledge and skills acquired during the course. However, the problem
starts to arise when people believe that just because they know how
to “drive” allows them to bypass the requirements in becoming a
licensed driver. Drivers ed should not be a task that is an
inconvenience to you because when it’s just you and the other
37,000,000 drivers on the road, your life and the lives of others are
at risk if care is not taken.
Most
drivers are susceptible to falling into the shackles of distractions
that might occur when on the road. For example, one day my cousin
Jeremy, who was sixteen at the time, was dropping his friend home
after practice. With eardrum-breaking music blasting, he receives a
text from his girlfriend wondering where he was. He regrettably picks
up his phone to respond. Unknowingly, an eighteen-wheeler behind them
starts swerving uncontrollably. As he changes lanes, the
eighteen-wheeler continues to pursue them. The semi didn’t seem to
be slowing down anytime soon either. In mere seconds, the car was
pummeled by the eighteen-wheeler. The impact from the collision sent
the car tumbling so many times that they became disorientated before
they realized what was even happening. Drifting in and out of
consciousness, my cousin manages to crawl out of the shattered
window. He struggles to unbuckle his friend and untangle him from the
grasp of his seatbelt. Fleetingly, aware of the bloody taste in his
mouth, as he inches towards him, the car erupts into flames,
consuming his friend.
There
is a plethora of factors that play into driving such as: adjusting
mirrors and blind spots, maintaining a safe following distance,
driving within the allotted speeding limit, and more. All of that on
top of the stress of taking classmates home, making sure your music
it up to par, and the constant ringing of the cell phone; no wonder
teens are one of the leading causes of motor vehicle accidents in the
country. Just one distraction can cost you your life and that is a
price that is not worth paying.
But
there are preemptive actions that you can take to make the road safer
for you and others. It starts with the basic policy of simply
fastening your seatbelt, removing all forms of cellphones and smart
watches from your sight while driving and paying close attention to
your surroundings. By doing so you are one step closer to becoming a
safer driver. And I key this one saying, “It can wait, don’t take
the bait, keep your eyes on the road.” I cannot stress the
importance of removing all forms of distractions enough, it is better
to play it safe than sorry. But I know it starts with me, when I am
on the road the trivial process of simply buckling in my seatbelt can
be the sole reason in saving my life if an accident were to occur.
Furthermore, by taking these preventative measures, we can reduce the
likelihood of accidents like my cousin’s and countless more.
