Weapon at the Wheel

You have to be 18 and up to purchase a rifle, but 16 and up to drive a car. Both are weapons. Both are deadly. When a person is at the wheel, they have the capability to seriously injure or kill both pedestrians and passengers. It’s very common when driving along the highway to see at least a car flipped over or damaged, with multiple police officers on site. I have been in multiple, and thankfully minor, car accidents in my life as a passenger, where the other drivers have been texting or not paying attention. Other times it was simply miscommunication. To solve this problem, we should start with drivers ed. When teenagers and young adults are first learning to drive, their driving habits begin to form, and habits are hard to break. Therefore, with proper drivers ed, good habits can be enforced from the beginning, leading to safer roads.

Some of these habits are ones that have been emphasized, but that does not mean they are less important. Simple things, such as not texting and driving or talking on the phone, go a long way. Another equally important habit is traveling with people who won’t be bad influences or distractions. Especially with teens and young adults, it’s easy to be peer pressured to speed, run red lights and stop signs, and drive recklessly in general. The danger is magnified when said passengers are drunk, and can grab the wheel and mess with you while driving. Sharing the importance of surrounding yourself with people who won’t be distractions is a must. Another way to be safer is to always use your blinker, even when it seems unnecessary. The reason it was implemented was to enable communication between turning cars to minimize accidents. I’ve had many close calls caused by miscommunication, because some drivers forget to put their blinkers on when turning. Overall, raising awareness of the fact that your car can be deadly and the consequences of your actions early on is the key to safer roads.