“In the Driver’s Seat

You are headed down the highway when you notice a car veering into your lane. You quickly react and head onto the shoulder to avoid a collision when the driver realizes where they are and corrects the car. Has this driver been texting, messing with the radio, drinking alcohol, or starting to doze off? There are so many causes for poor driving that can result in huge consequences.

It is important to know that driving a car is a huge liability. A car is a lethal weapon if not used safely and correctly. The first step in making safer and better drivers is for everyone to follow the rules of the road. Follow the speed limit, pass only during passing lanes, stay far enough away from fellow cars that you have appropriate reaction time. These simple driving steps would help alleviate car accidents and deaths. The next step is to make sure you are an attentive driver. Do not be distracted by the radio, your cell phone, or passengers. If you are driving it is your only job at the moment. Nothing else around you is important or should have your attention. The last step to making safer drivers is to make sure you are equipped to drive. You should not be sleepy or have any drug or alcohol in your body that impairs your driving. These three steps of obeying the rules of the road, being attentive, and being awake and sober make our roadways much safer to travel.

Driver education courses strengthen people’s knowledge and awareness of how to be a safe driver. Knowing how to be a safe driver brings attentive, sober, law abiding drivers. This in turn makes for safer roadways. Safer roadways result in fewer injuries and deaths. This is the cycle we need to emulate. Young children need to see drivers making smart, safe driving decisions. We learn from what we see, not what we are told. Parents, adults, and fellow juveniles need to lead by example by showing safe driving strategies. Drivers need to use integrity when driving. Just because you didn’t get caught breaking the laws of the road, does not mean you are a good, safe driver. Safe, defensive, lawful driving should be everyone’s standard if you are behind the wheel.

I have been fortunate enough to have good role-models as examples for how to safely drive a car, but that isn’t enough when other drivers on the road are not being safe. I witnessed from the car behind, as my mother was hit by a vehicle that was making a left hand turn and the car behind it did not react in time to stop. His failure to be attentive to the roadway resulted in three vehicles becoming a total loss, but luckily no major injuries occurred. This experience was horrifying and justifies the need for reiterating safe driving practices.

In conclusion, we can make our roads a safer place by knowing and following the rules of the road, being attentive, being sober, and making sure we are being the example for future generations of drivers. There is such joy in traveling down the road. We all need to do our part in being safe drivers to make our roadways a safer place to be.