Reckless Driving – An Epidemic WE Can Fix

My teacher pulls me aside and tries to explain in an empathetic tone, “Honey, your mommy got into a car accident and she’ll be late to pick you up”. I was five and she was a single mom. I was confused, scared, and just wanted my mom to come to pick me up so I could give her a hug. Hours later, she thankfully arrived without a scratch and she explained how a truck ran a red light and hit her, but she continually reassured me she was fine.

My mom was lucky, but many families cannot say the same. Driving is a privilege that is continually taken for granted by an overwhelmingly large amount of people. Whether it is a lack of knowledge or ignorance, reckless driving takes too many lives in the U.S. on an annual basis.

I believe education is the universal answer to prevent or help any issue. I can personally attest to how Driver’s Education has not only taught me the basic rules of the road but also why safe driving is vital. A reminder from this course that has evidently influenced my driving is how speeding saves little to no time. In reality, it simply increases the chances of accidents. Since that lesson, whether I am running late or not, I remind myself of what I learned and how speeding will truly not allow me to arrive any sooner.

Many believe that teenagers are at the core of this reckless driving epidemic, however, I have noticed that adults are just as guilty of driving under the influence, texting and driving, and more. From a young age, children continually watch how their parents drive and interact with other drivers which cause children to interpret these actions to be safe and correct. This is why I believe new educational efforts should be directed towards adults over 30. I know by stopping these reckless driving actions before they can negatively affect the next generation will be key to affecting national change in driving safety. Drivers Education Programs can create safe driving courses that can then be required by state law for every adult over the age of thirty attempting to renew their license. Such classes can be done in person or online in order to accommodate all sorts of financial or living situations and a certificate can be awarded upon completion. It is apparent that many adults follow the most basic laws of driving, such as adhering to street signs and pedestrians. But what many seem to forget are the rules of kindness on the road, such as taking turns at four-way stops, allowing people to enter a road in front of you, and using your blinker to signal every one of your intentions. These are simple ideas that can be incorporated in the courses to remind adults that kindness can save lives too.

Personally, I try to act on these intentions every day. I not only think about how I can be a safe driver but also how can I be a nice driver too. However, there is always room for growth, especially when it comes to my and others’ safety. I can turn on “Do Not Disturb While Driving” on my phone every time to completely eliminate cellular distractions while driving. Encouraging my friends and family to do the same will greatly improve safety for everyone on the road as well. As a passenger, I can also work to be aware of surrounding road conditions and eliminate distractions to guarantee everyone’s safety.

Regardless of whether you are a child, adult, driver, or passenger, I believe everyone can do something daily to fight against reckless driving and I hope one day we as a country can lower the number of families that are affected by deaths due to this national epidemic.