BOOM

BOOM

BOOM

The sound shook the houses around the site for miles. As the car went up in flames, other cars frantically pulled over and ran as close as they could get to try to help. 911 was called and sirens howled in the distance. A white Volkswagen had rolled down Hawthorne intersection and landed upside down on a steep curve. Ambulance, fire fighters, police arrived and entered the wreckage to see if there was anything that could be done to save the passenger and driver. Smoke choked the air as the family’s phones began to ring.

Two weeks later one remained in the ICU in a coma.

The other was buried two hours ago. As their family gathered around to say goodbye to their loved one, a change was on the horizon.

Drivers education is an essential part to keeping teens and all drivers alike safe while on

the roads, without a base knowledge and understanding of the importance of driving safely, young drivers tend to overlook the severity of the matter. Many teenagers drive carelessly, text while driving, and speed excessively when in a hurry. It’s been seen all too many times, the teen crashes fatally while dangerously driving, leaving their family in torment. Teenagers are commonly under the “I’m invincible” thought process. We aren’t.

Reducing these incidents is no easy feat. The best steps toward improving the issue of

dangerous driving is to expose and show teens how reckless and careless driving accidents really end- with multiple broken families and lives cut drastically short. Whether it’s a documentary or movie surrounding this topic, it must be shown to teens before they begin driving.

It’s commonly overlooked how dangerous getting into a car everyday is. When I was 5

years old, I was in an accident with my dad, we were cut off in an intersection and collided with a car coming straight on. Luckily, no one suffered fatal injuries, but nevertheless, being in a car crash at such a young age is something that I will always remember now that I’m a driver.

Seeing what could have happened impacted my views on the topic and fostered a passion for wanting to create a safer driving environment for everyone. This topic is so urgently important to cover with children throughout their whole lives.

How to reduce dangerous driving habits has been a question plaguing the world for

generations. In my personal experience, there is no way to reduce it without first exposing the driver to the realities of what could happen. Sugar coating how dangerous driving really is does no one any good. Teens must be shown the dangers of driving before getting behind the wheel, it is essential to keeping our world and future safe.

An impactful and relevant way to reduce dangerous driving is through the showing of “If

I stay” which is a popular and entertaining movie that shows the aftermath of a devastating crash in which only one member of the affected family survives. Seeing this movie and remembering my experience as a child are steps I have taken and continue to take daily to ensure that I am a safer driver. I believe showing “If I Stay” and spreading an individual’s real life experience with dangerous driving and its impacts today is a step toward getting the message to stick with people.

It’s one thing to talk about it, it’s another to see it and understand the consequences. No one wants to be the kid on life support in the ICU as their family watches from outside. I promise.