Defensive Driving

Defensive Driving

This past year, I found out I have anxiety and adjustment disorder. Many people do not understand what it’s like having these, and are nowhere near knowing what it’s like to drive with these, so this is my explanation: imagine you are driving to work, and the car in the lane next to you swerves into your lane due to construction they did not see at first. They are right next to you, so when they did come into your lande, you had to move otherwise you’d be hit. Actually, your brother would be hit, because he’s in the passenger seat adjacent to you. Your anxiety kicks in, showing you all the possible scenarios of all the injuries your brother could get, and how his life could be affected forever. The sweat drips down the back of your neck, searching for ways out of this situation, how to save my brother and I. I had no other choice at that moment but to move into oncoming traffic as the person next to me sped by my car, completely unaware of the stress they caused me. Before I made the move, I had noticed that there was no oncoming traffic, so it was more safe for me to move over anyways- but we were lucky. All of that happened in half a second. Half a second of spiraling thoughts and fears of protecting our lives. Later I realized that I had Drivers Education to thank for my quick defensive driving skills. This was all a real scenario that happened to my brother and I, but without Drivers Education, my anxiety likely would have taken over and have caused a panic attack when my brain cannot think for a few minutes. I am certain that this would have resulted in a terrible car accident.

Drivers Education was always something that I went to after school during the fall of my sophomore year, thinking it was just a minor step on my way to getting my license. It is something that I’ve learned to value as I’ve grown to be a more responsible driver. Out of all the topics that they taught me that year, Defensive Driving was definitely the most valuable. The most fearful thing about driving is not being able to control what is going on with the other cars around you. There’s this ‘built in trust’ that most drivers instinctively develop, otherwise drivers would be stressed out all of the time. I’ve grown to know that there is only one thing that can truly protect you and the ones you care about inside your car from other drivers mistakes: defensive driving. Being able to check your blind spot twice while switching lanes, looking in all of your mirrors, and simply being careful. I know this concept is what protected my brother and I from the other car that day from harming us. It’s what protected my brain from going into a panic attack stage. It’s what protected the other driver from getting hurt too. Practicing defensive driving is so important- I hope all new drivers learn to know that too.