In the Driver’s Seat

In the Driver’s Seat

Both hands on the wheel, eyes on the road and your surroundings, check your mirrors, stay focused, and drive safe. This is what most drivers are taught first, and they cling to the checklist of to-do’s because driving feels scary- the thought of a car in motion and you’re behind the wheel. Twenty things run through your mind as you put the car in gear and you even drive slower than the speed limit because the actual speed seems way too fast. Months pass and you feel like a pro, a natural. You have become accustomed to lane changes and stop lights, and the speed limit now feels like 5mph compared to what you want to be going. So, you ease onto the gas because the car is moving way too slow. You don’t really bother with checking your mirrors since passing cars and traffic have become the norm for you. You even answer your phone on the road and remove a hand from the wheel, because hey, let’s be honest, you can totally do it one handed. You’re a natural, remember?

If I’m being truthful, I have done that. And as I think back, so many things could have gone wrong very fast. But when you have been driving for some time it becomes like just another part of your day, and like so many things that you have been doing for a while, you do it less critically. But this is not the same as simply cleaning your room and being less thorough. The truth is, when you are in the driver’s seat, you have a responsibility not only to yourself but to the other drivers on the road. They count on you to drive safe and pay attention. Your parents trust you to be careful and come back home to them. So, I am going to take action and make myself a better driver, and I encourage you to do the same. I am going to notify my parents before I leave somewhere so that they know I am on the road. This should cut down phone calls from them and I will not have to try to contact them while I’m driving. When the speed limit feels slow, I will crank up my favorite song and coast on the road. Life sometimes gets too busy anyways, why not slow down and enjoy the ride? And as for others, if their phone rings or they get a text message, I’ll offer to answer or reply for them. If they need something from the backseat, I will be more than happy to get it for them because their eyes on the road should be their priority.

Driver education is a critical part of what makes a safe driver. When new drivers take the wheel, they need to be made aware of the dangers and the responsibilities that come with driving. It is often an exciting time when you finally get the privilege to drive, and although it marks a new time in one’s life, it also marks the taking on of more responsibility. No one has their foot on the gas but you, no other hands are on the wheel. And no life can be given back once it has been taken. You and you alone are in the driver’s seat. Driver education can honestly help new drivers pick up the importance of safe driving habits early and allow them to see the numbers when it comes to deaths by driving. The numbers don’t lie, they are facts. And the fact is, it is sad that more people die from careless driving than people do risking their lives in combat. Combat deals with warfare and guns and driving in most cases is even deadlier all because driving wasn’t the soul focus of the person behind the wheel. Many drivers are not even aware of the number of deaths that have resulted from driving irresponsibly. But perhaps, taking a driver education class can open their eyes to the responsibility they themselves hold.

I feel that everyone should be required to take a driver education class and regularly be tested on the rules of the road. I believe strongly that schools should hold driver safety seminars or allow someone to come and talk to students on the importance of safe driving and the number of deaths that result from driving. Perhaps even pamphlets or flyers could be passed around the school to bring awareness. Safe driving is not something to be shrugged off, but rather is something that should be embedded into one’s mind. Signs could be posted around schools and on roads that warn people against texting and driving. In high schools, I feel someone should also come to address the dangers of drunk driving. When intoxicated, you cannot act as you are meant to while driving and you are risking lives.

I am very passionate about the safety that comes with driving because a couple of years ago I was in a car accident with my mama. It was a bad wreck that was not mama’s fault. The back-seat window busted in on me and I did have a few scrapes that were bleeding. Mama pulled to the side of the road to get out of the way, but the car still hit us. I remember her tensing up and gripping the wheel because she knew it was going to hit us. It was honestly one of the scariest moments of my whole life. And though it all happened very suddenly, it felt like everything was in slow motion. I was terrified of losing my mama in that split second of reckless driving. I recall mama being too scared to drive a while after the accident. Knowing that we were helpless in the car bracing ourselves because we could not stop it, knowing it all happened because someone was not paying attention, knowing we could have lost our lives in a car on the road simply driving home puts a lot of things about driving in perspective.

Whether you are a new driver or a pro, and you are reading this, I pray that you realize that in the moment you get behind the wheel, before you put that car in gear, you should take a minute and understand that YOU are in the driver’s seat. Forget about your destination, forget about the time on the dash, forget about the phone, and think about your life and everyone else’s that you will encounter on the road. Think about their family and the dreams they have for their life. We all have a purpose in this life, it would be a shame for someone’s time to be cut short due to reckless driving. Think about how you would feel if someone you loved were in a car accident. Take it all in and let it resonate. It’s all up to you- make the right choice, choose to drive safely and save lives!