Name: Payton Broussard
From: Arnaudville, LA
Votes: 0
There
is overwhelming power in the driver’s seat. The driver holds the
power to determine their future and the future of others. They hold
the power to change the course and quality of their life, as well as
the lives of others, each time they get behind the wheel. This
daunting responsibility is all too commonly overlooked.
The
case of Jacqueline Saburido is widely known, yet not known enough.
Jacqueline was a college student who was in a vehicular accident,
caused by a drunken high schooler, in 1999 and was burned beyond
recognition. With over 60 percent of her body burned, she spent the
rest of life in pain and undergoing numerous surgeries. The drunk
driver spent his life in guilt and paying her medical bills.
An
instance that hits closer to home involves an accident that killed a
friend of the family. He was 19-years-old, and he caused the accident
by drunk driving and texting simultaneously. His life was taken and
the family in the other car were injured as well.
Consequently,
people need to be more pro-active in spreading the awareness of these
effects. Cases such as these need to be made more well-known. Quite
frankly, people are aware they should not drink or text while driving
but chose to ignore it because they can. There are ways to inhibit
phone usage on the road, such as the “Do Not Disturb While Driving”
setting. Every driver thinks they are the exception. They believe
that “one” time cannot hurt. Statistics prove them wrong; Many
victims thought they were the exception. Instead, lives were altered
forever. I personally follow this rule; I know that it only takes one
time. I know that that text is not more important than a life; that
its better to pay for an Uber than pay for the damages.
Education
about the power possessed behind the wheel is vital to reduce the
number of casualties yearly due to vehicular accidents. Bringing more
awareness to the high occurrences can help stop all drivers from
driving, or thinking about driving, under the influence or while
using their phone. Drivers need to be reminded that they possess a
dangerous power to change lives forever.
