Driving safely

Josh Klahr

Driving Safely

Getting in your car to drive to work or to school is just a regular task for the majority of people, but can turn into something very severe if not everybody takes driver education seriously. All it takes is for one person to not follow the driving safety guidelines, and major accidents can occur. Understanding this importance of driver education can be the difference between life and death. One step to cut back on the surprisingly large death by driving statistic includes more integrity from each driver as an individual.This entails understanding all of the necessary skills for driving, and not risking others lives along the way. If everyone understood the importance of driver safety and the large misconception of how serious its consequences are, then the death toll would decrease largely. Recently, this summer I was in a car accident where I totaled my car and the shock and realization that came from this incident carried with me ever since. My brakes did not respond to my foot on the peddle as I watched my deceased great grandfathers Lincoln strike the corner of the car in front of me. Sitting in the driver’s seat staring at the demolished hood of my first car left me with a million emotions. The most prominent one was guilt from what could I have possibly done to make a different outcome. Truthfully, nothing could’ve changed this outcome and it took me a while to come to terms with this and accept it. This made me realize the importance of keeping car parts in good condition because you shouldn’t settle for anything less when your life is at stake everytime you enter the vehicle. Resulting from this crash, I started to take much better care of my car, always making sure all of the parts were very safe and high functioning. I also learned it is a good practice to give other drivers around you excessive room in case they happen to need it. Another lesson I learned was always be conscious of other drivers on the road. In order to assist others with becoming better drivers when I’m in the car with friends or family, I make sure to assist them with directions, music, texting, etc. This allows the driver to keep their full attention on the road and not risk the lives of the passengers in the vehicle. Also, I make sure to pay attention to road signs and exit signs to help the driver get to the final destination. Lastly, In situations with heavy traffic or on getting onto a highway, I make sure my driver knows if it’s okay to merge or not just as a precaution despite them looking as well. Overall, the importance of driver education cannot be stressed enough especially since the outcome leads human lives to being at risk. Everyone should practice safe driving habits and the roads can become safer places. Practicing good driving skills and driver education can be a matter of life and death, so there’s no reason to take it lightly.