A Personal Decision: Driving Safely

Andrea A. Godoy

November 30, 2020

Round 3: Driver Education Initiative Award: In the Driver’s Seat

A Personal Decision:

Driving Safely

The fact that the lack of education, manners, courtesy, patience, and even driving grace, has led to world war-like death rate is appalling. Driving education has been undervalued, apart from being required to take a driving test, it is indispensable for daily life situations. As years pass, the importance of driving lessons, the driving test, and the driving book has been demonstrated. When cars were barely created most people only thought about the benefit they could get from them. People never imagined that that benefit would also lead to life and death consequences. It is irrational that still in 2005 the range was almost the same as the number of deaths from the Vietnam War, almost 45,000 deaths. Due to the annual outcome of motor-vehicle fatalities, several solutions have been implemented to try to stop the increase in deaths caused by car accidents.

Even with so much news about horrible accidents, even with driving schools available, even with the education that is given to be able to drive safely, and a driving manual. Even with all of these resources, the numbers of car related deaths are still thousands. The options to learn safety driving are many. Driving companies have tried everything in their power to provide people with the correct tools to help and encourage them to drive safely. Unfortunately, it is not only what these security companies implement. But what one as a person decides to do, recognizing that a car is highly dangerous and it is in one’s hands to be coherent and intelligent while being behind the wheel is as significant as reading the driving manual.

It is not only education that matters, it has been tried in many ways to educate people to do good, to drive slowly while respecting the guidelines. Education is not enough, at the end of the day it is really the person, if oneself wants and decides to do things correctly. This is where, as I mentioned before, patience, manners, common sense, being considerate, having courtesy and even grace, are fundamental. Sometimes the only thing we can really do is stop for a moment and think through the situation. Taking a moment to consider the possible consequences of getting into the car drunk, wearing loose shoes when driving, driving fast for being late, not being aware of what is happening around us, can save our lives. Because it’s not just us on the street, it’s our friends, our family, our doctors, our workers.

A minimum inconsideration can cost someone their life and unfortunately it is also crucial to be aware of the surroundings because even if oneself is driving well, how other drivers are is always a mystery. Like a great-aunt of mine, who was returning to Mexicali one Kings Day night who was hit by a drunk man and died. She had already arrived at her house and was parked outside her garage, the car arrived and blasted the whole car sideways, leading her to a fatal hit. It is not only important to study in order to pass the driving test but it is also important to remember what you have learned and practice it daily. Knowing the security measures, the signals, the excesses, the measures. Being aware of the safety of yourself and others, and above all, being respectful and considerate especially if there are more people in the same car.