Behind the Wheel

Behind
the Wheel

It’s
extremely important for drivers to realize that when they drive they
put themselves and others in danger. As a society we rely on others
to drive safely and they rely on us to drive safely. So, we put a lot
of trust in people we don’t know and they do the same. In driver’s
education, it’s imperative to not only teach the rules of the road;
but, to also teach driver safety and to make sure that the
consequences of reckless driving are fully understood. It’s a well
known fact that drivers ed can significantly reduce the number
of deaths but only if drivers take it seriously.

The
steps that can be taken to reduce the number of deaths related to
driving are:

1. Build
   more awareness about safe driving through billboards and to show
   more commercials about people who have been affected by reckless
   driving. 

2. Include
   a video presentation, as part of drivers ed classes, showing
   the impact of a fatal accident on both sides of the affected
   families. 

3. Update
   the current safety videos to make them more relevant to today’s
   young adults. 

4.  Produce
   an interactive presentation about safe driving to be shown in high
   schools and make attendance for the presentation mandatory. 

5. Teach
   all drivers how to avoid being fatally injured in a car accident,
   such as wearing seatbelts and avoiding distractions.

6. Create
   virtual reality experiences that create driving scenarios, so young
   adults will be more engaged when learning about safe driving. 

I
have not had the experience of being in a car accident nor have I
seen my family members driving irresponsibly. However, my family was
affected by reckless driving. One of my uncles decided to drive while
under the influence and crashed his car. My grandmother and another
uncle were not wearing seatbelts and were propelled out of the car
and died on impact. In an instant two of my family members, whom I
dearly loved were gone, and this was 100% preventable. Many family
members always say, they should’ve
worn a seatbelt or got
a ride home. They didn’t do any of
those things, and I understand that was their mistake. However, I
hope others can learn from the mistakes my loved ones made in this
situation.

To
be a safer driver I can:

1. Always
   wear my seatbelt because I learned from the accident with my family
   that seatbelts save lives.

2. Avoid
   all distractions when I’m driving.

3. Always
   drive the speed limit and be more careful and aware in residential
   areas. 

4. Encourage
   my friends to always wear their seatbelts and lower the volume of
   their music. And share my family’s tragedy so they know that a
   simple mistake like not wearing your seatbelt can take you away from
   your family and this world.