The Risk of Want

Texting, eating, and speeding are some of the things that most people think of when it comes to reckless driving. These are situations where the driver is not paying all their attention to the road or following road safety rules. However, these are not the only causes of accidents. What if a person is seemingly paying attention to the road but stills drives recklessly for something that they desire?

The sky was dark as night had truly arrived. Cars passed by on the late busy street. Stores lit areas where car lights could not. I leaned my head against the window, the cool surface and soft music lulling me to a regular car nap. My father drives in the seat beside me. We had just came from my basketball game, and we decided to stop by Wendy’s before heading home. My eyes blearily shifted closed.

My father cursed, shifting down to cruise as he jabbed the wheel to the side, trying to avoid hitting any traffic beside us. My eyes shot open, heart racing as my father continued to mutter. He slowly relaxed his tense hold on the wheel.

“What happened,” I asked him.

“A car almost hit us. It just flung by.”

I look around, trying to see where the car was but to no avail. We turned into the Wendy’s. My father dryly laughs, shaking his head in disappointment.

“You mean to tell me she was driving crazy just to get a burger? And look, she has a child in the car.”

It’s my turn to shake my head in disbelief. Had there been a less experienced driver behind the wheel, had I been in the driver’s seat, there definitely would have been an accident. Someone could have been hurt that day over a burger and some fries.

I tell this story to show why it is important to pay attention whenever on the road. Not only may people be texting, there may be others who drive recklessly for arbitrary reasons. Road safety must be taken more seriously so things like this rarely happen. I only ask for you to be calm as you drive and not let your emotions, or desires, control you. Please be sure to be aware of your surroundings whenever you are in the driver’s seat.