Name: Ava Ward
From: Denver, CO
Votes: 0
Let
the Past Protect the Future
By
Ava Ward
As
a child, I was never troubled by the affairs of the road. I blithely
occupied the back seat, perfectly content to leave my fate in the
hands of the driver. Outside of the car, I was insouciant to the
speeding automobiles around me. I had grown up on a busy street, so
the roar of hundreds of motors had long ago failed to capture my
attention. I had blind faith in a world where every driver was fully
educated and well-practiced in driving eons before they put the key
in the ignition. However, when I was thirteen, this naive view of a
secure world where no steering wheel could turn astray was shattered
forever.
The
news of Cole Sukle’s death reached me in the middle of summer. A
time usually associated with sunshine and laughter suddenly became
dark and cold as I coped with the death of the kind, smart, funny,
fourteen-year-old boy that I had known since Kindergarten. As my
class and I grieved, we were all tormented by the same question: why?
How could fate be so cruel as to take our peer, our class clown, our
comrade in arms?
Police
reports quickly brought answers. An elderly woman, hurtling down a
road meant only for thirty-five miles per hour, had taken the life of
my friend of eight years as he walked with his friends along the
sidewalk. Not only had she had alcohol in her system, but she
maintained a history of traffic misdemeanors. In response to those
past reports, her son had promised to keep her off the road; he
didn’t.
Any
anger I could have felt at the situation was thoroughly eclipsed by
grief, but in later years, I realized that Cole’s death could have
been prevented. Perhaps if the woman had been educated on how just a
few seconds of irresponsible driving could tear apart lives forever,
she may have hesitated before getting behind the wheel; she may have
retired from her driving career, realizing that the freedom of
driving by oneself is not worth innocent lives. A major step that
could be taken to reduce the number of deaths related to driving is
for friends and family to take accountability for one another’s
driving practices. By reaching out to those we believe are no longer
fit to drive, we can protect both them and the public at large. If a
driver has repeatedly caused accidents, they should be supplied with
resources on how to become a better driver—even if becoming a
better driver means not driving at all. As a driver, I will
constantly be reevaluating my traffic practices. If I identify a
potentially destructive habit, I know that I can reach out to my
insurance provider or DmvEdu.org to make the changes in my practices.
I am committed to eschewing alcohol and all other intoxicating
substances, for I now know that what may appear to be a medium for
fun and relaxation can be the agent that engenders catastrophe. As
for helping others, I hope to have honest, open dialogue with my
relatives if I feel that they need to take precautions with their
driving as they age. These conversations may be difficult, but they
are nothing compared to what could happen if unsafe driving goes
unaddressed.
Driving
can be thrilling. It can create a sense of power, individuality, and
freedom. Yet, cars are not our playthings. They are great steel
machines that, when handled inappropriately, leave terror, despair,
and destruction in their wake. By uniting as a community, we can
ensure that victims of unsafe driving have not been taken from this
world in vain. I believe that we can build a safer future through
accountability and awareness. It all starts with the courage to speak
up.
