The Importance of Safe Driving

Before I got my license, my parents preached to me the dangers of texting while driving, advising me to always pay attention to the road and to not steal glances at my phone. They explained to me how distracted driving can have unintended consequences, potentially ruining or ending the lives of yourself and many others. Now aware of the responsibility a driver must possess to remain focused, I took my parents’ advice to heart. As a result, you can imagine how shocked I was when I noticed that even they would text while driving.

Because of this, there have been many times with my parents where I have told them to put their phones away repeatedly as a passenger in their vehicle. Knowing that even sparing a second to answer a text or search for a certain song while driving increases the risk of an accident. Making sure that the driver’s focus is on the road is very important to me.

When driving with my friends, we like to find songs on our phones to listen to as we drive. This is always really fun for us, but there was one instance when my friend, who was driving, began to search for songs on his phone as he went down the road. Although we were having a good time, I had to stop the excitement to remind him that he should wait to get on his phone when the car is stopped and pointing out that he was not paying attention to where he was going. While telling him this may have soured the mood a little bit, I am still glad that I said something because there is always a possibility when driving while distracted that an accident will occur.

Of course, distracted driving is not just an occurrence among my friends and family. When driving down the road, it is not hard to spot a plethora of people driving while texting, eating, or doing their makeup. Personally, I know that many of my classmates that have been in an accident were driving without paying attention to the road, which resulted in them being the guilty party – some of these accidents involved other vehicles which meant it affected the lives of other people. Distracted driving is definitely a very big danger that looms over everyone who drives; while you may be focusing on the road and what is happening around you, that does not mean that you are safe from being hurt by someone who is not.

I have noticed that my parents now do not even touch their phones while driving, and I feel that speaking up as a passenger has really helped them to understand the gravity and responsibility of a driver paying attention to their surroundings. I think that as drivers, we should all understand that magnitude of responsibility, and much of that may come from just being told that what we are doing is irresponsible.

When it comes to taking steps to ensure that you are being as responsible as possible on the road, the first thing is to always be aware of your surroundings. Keeping your eyes on the road helps you process potential danger and what is coming up ahead, which is absolutely crucial when it comes to being a safe driver. The second is eliminating distractions; this includes cell phones or other devices, even if you are just using them to pick a song or to send a quick text. Taking your eyes off the road for even just a few seconds can be what determines the rest of your life and someone else’s. The third step to take when it comes to driving responsibly is understanding the responsibility put on you; driving is not something that one should take lightly, especially since it is so dangerous and one wrong decision can be so costly.

Paying attention during a driver’s education course is also a big move that can be made in order to absolutely ensure that you are being as safe as possible on the road. Driver’s education is incredibly beneficial in teaching the most basic rules of the road to new drivers, and without fully understanding the information given to you, mistakes can be made that have big consequences. These courses also introduce students to the consequences and dangers of distracted or reckless driving, something that may be uncomfortable for some, but is absolutely necessary in order to fully grasp the gravity of being behind the wheel. Putting in work to fully process what is taught through a driver’s education course is something that all beginning drivers should do in order to ensure that the roadways are as safe as possible for everyone.