Name: Phoebe Gillies
From: Huntsville, Texas
Votes: 0
Driving,
a freedom you earn at age sixteen, marks your first real trek into
adulthood. However, as fun as it seems, this freedom comes with
the responsibility to avoid risks and follow regulations.
Failure to do so can result in losing this freedom and the excitement
along with it. Understanding the rules of the road, how to operate a
vehicle, and reducing bad driving habits can help lower the number of
deaths associated with driving and make our roads safer.
At
age fifteen, my parents gifted me drivers ed. I wanted more
than anything the freedom to drive myself around, hang out more with
friends, and begin the process of becoming an adult. Driver
education not only allowed me to learn the rules of the road, but it
also gave me the knowledge of how to properly operate a vehicle.
People who do not go through that process may not fully understand
how much thinking and memory goes into driving or how to properly
operate such large machinery. The essential part of becoming a
safe driver starts with drivers ed, something everyone should
go through.
Many
deaths related to driving include risky driving behaviors.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA), in 2017, just over 40% of all fatal crashes involved a
distracted, drunk, or drowsy driver. Speeding caused 26% of
fatal accidents, and 47% of people in fatal crashes were not wearing
seatbelts. These staggering facts demonstrate the easily preventable
trouble associated with risky driving. Wearing your seatbelt,
obeying speed limits, reducing distractions, and knowing when you are
too intoxicated or tired to drive will dramatically reduce the number
of deaths caused by risky driving behaviors. If everyone saves
themselves from an accident, the numbers will show this change.
I, myself,
have been in an accident. I drove to church from a friend’s
house and made a wrong turn, so at a stoplight, I pulled out my phone
and started looking for directions. What I failed to realize
was my foot was not fully depressed on the brake and I
ever-so-slightly inched forward until I bumped into the car in front
of me. I was both frazzled by my wrong turn and distracted by
looking for directions that I didn’t notice until I hit.
Thankfully, the lady was very kind and neither car had damage, so she
didn’t ask for my insurance. She was more concerned with
making sure I was okay than she was about the accident. I got very
lucky that day and I will never forget that lady’s kindness. I
learned my lesson about distracted driving, and I have not used my
phone while driving since.
By
going through drivers ed, reducing bad driving habits, and
knowing when you should not drive, the roads will be safer for
everyone involved, and driving-related deaths will decrease. If
everyone keeps themselves safe, and encourages others to do the same,
we can work together to reduce these numbers as a nation.
