
Name: Natalia Rivera
From: Tempe , AZ
Votes: 0
Learn from Your Mistakes
Learn from your Mistakes
Driving is a deadly sport. Few want to admit it, however it is one of the most dangerous activities to participate in. Yet, driving is among the highest causes of accidental death in the United States of America. Why is it? What are the reasons for the high mortality rates on the roads? Simply put, a lack of education and experience. The drivers manual is too lengthy and outdated, thus discouraging high schoolers from studying for their tests. Too many slipups are being pushed under the rug on road tests. Licenses are administered to kids with no second thought. Inexperienced and distracted drivers are on our streets. No wonder a majority of the accidents reported for texting and driving for instance, involve young teenagers.
I have been involved in multiple accidents in my life. The first encounter was the worst in every sense of the word. While I walked away with no scratches, the mental damage was inescapable. There were people on the street running to and fro in attempt to help me,while I sat in shock and confusion in a crippled car. When the ambulance finally did come, I was interrogated with confusing questions by scary paramedics. I spent at least half an hour by myself trying to console my mother as she suffered an attack in the drivers seat. The image of my mother being strapped to a stretcher and carried away by an ambulance did not help. Later in my life, I would be involved in minor accidents that were indeed my fault. They were all fender benders. Once because I was changing a song on my phone, the other because I had braked at an unsavory speed. The later incidents are embarrassing. You would have thought that I would have learned my lesson after the traumatic crash form my childhood. Yet, when you are the driver, you feel as if the rules don’t apply to you. You can get away with a quick text response to a friend. Or even just turning your phone on to check on notifications. These are the driver fragilities that I wish to eradicate.
In many ways, this essay was perfect for me. I am part of the “irresponsible driver” group. I have firsthand experienced the drawbacks from letting bad habits slip. It even cost me my car and severe back issues afterwards. Therefore, my experiences should be a constant reminder of what NOT to do. I should steer clear of my past mistakes. So, what should I, Natalia Rivera, do to protect me and other peoples lives on the roads? For starters, I could stop eyeing my phone. Luckily, I have a car that connects to Bluetooth and therefore connects to buttons on the steering wheel. If I want to change a song or adjust the volume, my eyes can still stay on the road. Also, social media apps really should not be opened while I am driving. Unless I am in the passenger seat, there is simply no need. Odds are wherever I am driving to has WIFI and I can connect to social media once I am out of the car. I just have to stop making excuses. Also, my speed needs to be regulated. Especially on the side streets, my speeds do not need ot be excessive. This goes both ways. Notice how I did not mention “going fast”. I have also learned that driving too slow is just as bad as ultra quick speeds. I need to adjust my speeds to the circumstances of the road. By doing this, I can prevent slamming on the brakes and also be a defensive driver. When dwelling on either side of the speed spectrum, it is hard to adapt to a sudden change, such as someone passing me or pedestrians j-walking. If I were to be adaptable to the driving conditions, I could be ready for anything.
In short, driving a car is a heavy responsibility. Regardless of age or creed, certain precautions need to be followed. Not just once in a while or every now and then. Always. Consistency is the key. By abiding by these driving mandates, many problems can be solved. And if mistakes are made along the way, it is important to actually learn from them. Take note of your fault and make sure it doesn’t happen again. Use them as motivators to be a responsible driver. In time, as with all matters in life, practice makes perfect. The more you exercise a quality or routine, the easier it becomes. Before you know it, driving responsibly will no longer be a strained effort. It will be common sense. And that is a quality we should never take for granted.