Behind the Wheel

Anthony Saitta

10-18-2020

Safe driving

By no means am I the perfect driver, nor would I qualify for Allstates Safe Driving Discount, however over my last three years behind the wheel I have learned a pleather of “do and don’ts”. In no specific order, always watch for cops, break before the cops can see your taillights, and know the length of your car in order to cut in and out of traffic. Most importantly NEVER HESITATE. Oh wait, wrong essay, Safe driving, got it.

All jokes aside, a vehicle is an extremely dangerous weapon (they call it a metal coffin for a reason) and literally anything can happen. When I was 15, I was a witness to my older sisters horrendous driving. She wasn’t just heavy on the gas, but the break and steering wheel as well. With that being said, I got the opportunity to learn from her mistakes; not everyone has an older sister that is learning to drive, but a driver’s education course will suffice. These courses allow you to gain book knowledge encompassing the safeties of driving as well as hands on experience before you take the wheel. Just that alone prevents accidents, as you already understand the mechanics of driving, taught by a professional. The in-person class is dreadful, but I personally learned a vast amount that I would have never known without them. The driving portion allows you to learn from your peer’s mistakes while you’re chewing the last of your nails in the back seat. Acting as the driver gives you a feeling of immense pressure due to the fact that you have three other lives in your control; minus the professor’s break and wheel. Overall, there is no real shortcoming to the course.

Over three thousand people die in car accidents each day with a variety or reasons. As human beings, we can only do our part to prevent these accidents. The first driver’s education course is a perfect place to start. Following up with a defensive driving course is a great next step, during that course you’re taught how to detect signs of potential hazards before they happen. It will not make you a jedi with superhuman reflexes, but knowledge is power. Most insurance companies acknowledge the course and deduct a percentage of your monthly payment, which is pretty rewarding. On the topic of insurance companies, Allstate rewards safe drivers in the same way, granted they track everything you do while driving and a to paranoid citizen like me that is not ideal.

Thank God, luck, or whatever you believe in, I have not been in a car accident but I’m well aware that they are far from pretty, especially when alcohol is involved, because it’s always the innocent driver that dies and that is disgraceful. From the beginning of your driving career to the end you will always be told the fundamentals: buckle up, check your mirrors, stay alert and follow the speed limit. Within the last three years, I have learned to always watch for other people. I find myself envisioning and predicting what could potentially happen and how I would react. Although I previously said it in a joking matter, never hesitate, as you gain experience the motions of driving will flow, and the car will become a part of your body. The second it takes you to hesitate can be a matter of life and death. I have nothing left to say however I’m superstitious about ending an essay with “death”.

I apologize if you wanted statistics and references as I totally missed in that aspect.