In the Driver’s Seat: A Life in Your Hands

Autumn Wirt

In the Driver’s Seat: A Life in Your Hands

Imagine you have the power to irreversibly affect someone’s life. You hold their life in your hands. That is overwhelming to picture because we all make mistakes, but when mistakes hurt others we cannot change or make up for it. You might be thinking you do not have that kind of power, or your decisions could not affect others, but what if I told you that you have that power every single day? Driving education is so vital to you and your community because every time you drive you hold the safety and well-being of others in your hand. Carelessness on the road does not just hurt other drivers, but their families, their friends, their coworkers, and their classmates. One wrong move and you could change the future of so many innocent lives. That one wrong move can often be prevented. All it takes is a little bit of action on the part of any and every driver to make a big change.

There are so many easy steps new drivers can take to ensure their safety as well as the safety of others when being on the road. Be informed on driving rules and regulations, and receive help and guidance from multiple sources. These sources can be anything from parents to professional instructors, so you have a well-rounded education. It is important that you are not afraid to ask for help. You are not supposed to be a perfect driver your first time behind the wheel. Experience and practice are key to developing your driving skills. Mistakes can happen because people are not perfect, especially when you are trying something so new and foreign as driving. Not letting new situations overwhelm you, and instead learning from them, is crucial for young drivers.

According to I Drive Safely, tips for effective driving education include: starting out slowly, patience, and good driving role models. I take the last tip very seriously because I am a role model to my younger siblings. I have seen friends my age making irresponsible driving decisions, some of which stem from poor driving education. I know that if I strive to be a safe and educated driver my siblings will see that and understand the responsibility every driver has to their passengers and other people on the road. The United States has an average of 34,000 driving fatalities every single year. That is the population of a small city, and that does not even take into account the millions of people who are seriously injured in vehicular accidents. The only way to minimize these startling statistics is to properly educate new drivers so they may safely and responsibly drive the roadways.

Recently, I was hit by a distracted driver. I have always been a safe driver, and have never been involved in an accident before. My parents raised me to understand the responsibility involved with driving. Knowing and obeying traffic laws is vital to keeping everyone safe. It is also paramount that, when driving, you maintain your attention on the road, and not allow yourself to be lead astray by the many distractions drivers face. Carelessness can mean the difference between life and death.

The driver who hit me was late and in a hurry, while also trying to use his phone… a bad combination for safe driving. Thankfully, no one was hurt in the accident, which is a blessing many do not get in these terrible situations. I realized he simply made the mistake of picking up his phone and driving too fast, not thinking he could hurt others. He was extremely apologetic and regretful for his actions, realizing the gravity of what those actions could have caused. He was embarrassed by the accident, I did not blame him for what he did because I knew he regretted his actions, and more importantly learned from them. I know that he will think twice before picking up his phone while driving, or speeding when he is late because he knows the potential harm he could have caused. It is so important that people understand that speeding, though it may decrease your time by a few seconds or minutes, is dangerous and not worth the harm it could cause. It is imperative that people promote safe driving education to prevent accidents from occurring. I hope to share my experience with others so that they may learn from it, and understand the immense importance that comes with driving.