In the Driver’s seat

Matthew Aude

‘In the Driver’s Seat’ 2020 Scholarship

National Driving and Traffic School

November 22, 2020

In the Driver’s Seat

Sitting in the driver’s seat. The brake and gas by your foot, the steering wheel at your hands. The turn signals, the lights, the wiper blades, the radio. Everything is within reach. Sitting in the driver’s seat is like sitting on a throne. You are in control. You hold the fate of lives around you. You have the power to kill. Yet, driving isn’t supposed to be dangerous and deadly. It’s not supposed to risk your life every time you hit the road. Driving is simply a form of transportation. To get from point A to point B. Having an education and following the rules of traffic will not only make you a safer driver, but may also be a matter of life and death for you and those around you.

It’s gut wrenching to say that on average, around 3,700 people die every day from automobile accidents. To think, that all of these lives are gone from a form of transportation. That they didn’t come home that night to see their family because of their own or someone else’s negligence. Driving requires intense responsibility and focus, which is why it is imperative that every driver have a thorough education in the rules of traffic. Knowing what to do in certain circumstances, such as knowing who has right-of-way, can be a matter of life and death. Even the little things: Having your eyes up at all times, being watchful of your surroundings, not speeding, are all ways we can keep ourselves and others safe. Again, Driving isn’t meant to risk anyone’s lives. It’s simply supposed to be an efficient means of transportation.

The importance of safe driving became a huge part of my life when one event hit close to home. Last winter, my cousin was involved in a very serious car accident. He and two other friends were driving home from eating out and were about 5 minutes away from his home. It was around 1am and they were following almost all of the rules of safe driving. The driver had just approached a green light and continued forward without giving any second thought. My cousin, who was sitting in the backseat, described how in an instant, he was gliding along the asphalt of the road and came to a stop when he hit the grass. He was shocked, as one would be, and looked around at his legs and arms, bloodied from the ground. He then got up and saw that the car he was in was now split into two. The front end on one side of the road and the back end on another. Thankfully, by the grace of God, no one was seriously hurt. My cousin suffered only a concussion and a few deep scars. And how did this accident happen? Well, it was a drunk driver who was fleeing from police, running the red light at 90mph.

How much longer are we going to have to live in fear every time we hit the road? How much longer are going to see the death count from accidents as it is? I could have lost my cousin that day, and I’m well aware that many others are not as fortunate as I am. If we can all make an effort to be safer drivers, we can save lives and prevent the preventable. Put down the phone, turn down the music, and get where you need to go safely. Sitting in the driver’s seat, you have the power to make our roads safer.