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Driving is one of the earliest forms of freedom any person can achieve. No longer being bound to the limits of the human body or sidewalks, people gain the ability to travel anywhere, whenever. Being one of the most coveted privileges in life, driving is often seen as a right rather than a privilege. With this connotation associated with driving, people fail to consciously think about the responsibility that comes with driving a two-ton death machine. Car accidents are the leading cause of adolescent death. Because of the action of a negligent driver, a person’s life has been cut short. The victim has been wrongfully robbed of life and can longer hope to experience all the happiness the world has to offer.

Proper drivers ed is essential to reducing the number of deaths caused by car accidents annually. People often study to the test instead of learning how to properly drive. Any young adult can quickly gain a license without fully understanding the way of the road. With their improper training, accidents swiftly follow be it through their negligence or inability to act properly in dangerous situations. Through adequate drivers ed, new drivers will be taught the responsibilities of owning a car and the consequences of their actions.

When it comes to repeating actions, humans suffer an interesting phenomenon of going into autopilot. The unconscious mind takes over and performs the action it has done many times before. Usually, this action is a good thing. However, NEVER drive in autopilot. Under autopilot, the driver often overlooks important details and dangers that they should’ve been able to see. The best way to avoid accidents is by always being attentive. Pay attention to the car in front, behind, and beside you. Pay attention to the signs, traffic lights, and pedestrians. Take it one step further and pay attention to the road, weather, and location. Absorb all the information that you could possibly gather from your surroundings as It is always better to be overprepared than unprepared.

Distracted driving is any danger that plagues the drivers of today. Experienced drivers often become complacent in their ability to drive effectively and think that they are able to multitask on their commute. Their cockiness coupled with the collection of human knowledge within arms reach combines to form an extremely volatile situation. My father suffers from this same affliction. Sometimes when on commutes with him, he thinks he can shoot off a quick text or read an email about the situation at his job. But no matter how busy one person may be, it is never worth the risk to look away from the road for a second. When cars move as fast as they do, a split second is all they need to snuff the flame of life prematurely.

To ensure safety on the road, practice defensive driving. No matter how confident you are in your ability, other factors are in play. Monitor the situation around you and predict how cars will move.