Change Begins With You

Dylan
Mendoza

6/12/19

Not
a day goes by where I do not have to get behind the wheel of a car,
and if you’re like me, you’re probably the same. Most of us do
not think about it, we just get in the car and go. We never really
take into consideration that every time we are on the road, we have
to power to potentially lose or take somebody else’s life. If more
people took note of the power they have when they are behind the
wheel of a car, we could reduce the number of deaths caused by car
accidents.

Nearly
all of us are guilty of some form of reckless driving. Some us like
to speed, others like to be on the phone when they drive, some get
road rage, and we do not think twice about it. We are only human, and
part of being human is making mistakes, but our mistakes should never
be at the expense of someone else’s life. The laws that are
currently put in place to help prevent any accidents are not enough
to help us reduce the deaths cause by car accidents. As a society we
need to have a paradigm shift, and realize the power we have in our
hands every time we get behind the wheel of a car. What I am saying
is that for there to be any change, we need take a look in the
mirror, and tell ourselves that we need to do better. We need to
teach our kids from the get-go that driving is a big responsibility,
and it should not be taken lightly. We need to implement this
mentality until the day they begin to drive.

I
have been in an accident because of my own reckless behavior and
fortunately for me it was not serious or fatal. I was on my phone,
not paying attention to the road, and traffic came to a stop, I
reacted too late, and hit the car in front of me. The only person at
fault in that situation was me. If I had not been on my phone in the
first place nothing would have happened, and from that day on I
stopped using my phone while I drive. Most people do not get as lucky
as I do and it takes more drastic measures for them to make a change,
do not let yourself be that person.

Every
time we get behind the wheel of a car, we must remember that our
lives and the lives of others are at stake. If we want to reduce
deaths caused by car accidents, we need to change our outlook and
take responsibility. Remember that change begins with you.