Be in Control of You

Be in Control of You

We are all human, and due to this factor, we are all inclined to make mistakes. While causing a car crash that ends in a death is a huge one, the most we can due in order to reduce the number driving deaths is to educate ourselves. Oftentimes, people like to use the excuse of “I didn’t know” to try explaining their actions. With proper drivers ed, people can no longer use that excuse, and their mistakes can only be blamed on their own personal thoughts and actions. The importance of drivers ed shows itself when people are actually out driving, and all of the lessons they learned will make themselves known when there is a situation at hand that calls for it. Drivers ed is important because it teaches drivers what they are supposed to do in common situations, and it enables them to conquer these situations without unnecessary chaos.

There are plenty of steps toward reducing the number of driving-related deaths that are already being implemented. Step one is education, because like I previously mentioned it gets rid of the excuse of “I didn’t know,” and having conscious knowledge of the education received before driving reduces accidents from happening. When an individual has conscious knowledge that they should yield before turning onto a road, it reduces the chances of that individual blowing past the sign despite the rule. Step two is implementing laws that can further prevent car accidents from happening. My state recently passed a law that doesn’t allow drivers to have any electronic device in their hand at all. Due to the simple passing of that law, drivers now have to be more conscious about when they are using their phone while driving, and awareness of using technology while driving leads to the reduction of using technology while driving. People have invested in alternatives such as putting mounts in their car so drivers can still see their phone without holding it. While looking at anything besides the road is a hazard, having it in front of the driver is significantly less dangerous than looking at it while it’s in the driver’s hand. Step three is officially enforcing these laws, because rules have no value outside of instilling awareness unless they are actually enforced. When rules and laws aren’t applied fully or properly, people walk over it and continue to go against it knowing that they won’t get punished for it.

I’ve never been in a car crash myself, but I have seen my immediate family driving irresponsibly and get into crashes. My oldest brother got into a serious car crash when he was twenty-five. He was driving home when he dozed off, realized he was dozing off, jerked awake, and overcorrected the wheel which resulted in his car flipping over. He had a broken hip, fractured body parts, and had to get multiple surgeries. One time my mother had to confront my father in the car because he was trying to look at his phone while driving. Had my father kept using his phone, something regretful could have happened.

In order to be a better and safer driver, I am always conscious about what I have to lose while I am driving. This enables me to continue being precautious, because I would never want to lose my life because of something I did but could have avoided. While I can’t control what other people do in their cars while I am driving, I always tell other people that “You are always in control of what you do in your car, and as long as you are doing what you are supposed to do while driving, that is all that matters.”