Name: Ella Rocha
From: Bush, Louisiana
Votes: 0
Driving
is a Privilege- DON’T Take it for Granted!
One
of the most paramount responsibilities we are offered in life is the
ability to drive. However, this privilege can easily be taken
advantage of and can be extremely perilous. Learning and truly
understanding drivers ed will permit the driver to form better
decisions on the road that ultimately promote the safety and
wellbeing of the driver and others around. This knowledge helps in
reducing the catastrophic amount of deaths caused by unsafe and
reckless driving.
Car
accidents happen much more often than one could imagine. In fact the
number of deaths by car accidents is extremely unsettling, at a
whopping 1.3 million per year. By partaking in drivers ed, new
and upcoming drivers will grow to understand the actions that need to
be avoided and the steps that need to be taken in order to better
prevent accidents on the road. Making sure the vehicle’s breaks are
working properly is a huge must when ensuring road safety, putting
the driver in almost complete control. The influence of alcohol or
drugs also must be avoided when getting behind the wheel. According
to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in
2017 10,874 people were found dead due to the brutal result of drunk
driving accidents. Driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol
needs to be avoided at all costs. Another step, and an obvious one at
that, is to always be aware of your surroundings and the actions of
other vehicles while on the road. You can’t control how others
drive but you sure can control your awareness of them. Especially in
this day and age, distraction plays a huge roll in automobile
accidents, specifically due to the use of cellphones. These devices
need to be placed in a spot hidden and unreachable by the driver to
circumvent the chance of a car accident occurring. With these steps
in mind, a safer driving environment will soon be created.
Luckily,
in the car accidents I have experienced no one around me has died but
that doesn’t mean it won’t happen in the future if reckless
driving continues to live on like it is. The most recent car accident
I was a part of didn’t cause too much damage but still displayed
irresponsible driving by the other driver involved. With my mom
driving and me in the passenger seat, we ended up T-boning another
driver that cut in front of us. She was distracted by her cellphone
and apparently didn’t see us coming her way which goes to show how
extremely dangerous texting and driving is. When I am driving around
with my friends, as I often am, I try and encourage them to get off
their phones while driving to prevent any more accidents like the one
I was in.
The
main aspect I need to work on to perfect my driving would be to stay
focused, avoiding distractions. As previously said, I have recently
been hiding my phone when I get in the car, making it not easily
accessible to be distracted by. I feel that other drives should
mainly stay focused when behind the wheel because that will
ultimately lead them to partake in a safe and wreck-free environment.
