Be careful and learn when you drive

A couple of years ago, I witnessed a car accident that a classmate suffered. I was two cars away from him. Thanks to my mother, who maneuvered the car, we avoided a crash with the car in front of us. I couldn’t forget the sound of the collision between the two vehicles and the subsequent impact of my friend’s car against the defense of the highway. I thought the worst when I saw that my friend did not get out of the car and the vehicle was fuming. My mother and other drivers helped. He received the impact of the airbag and was disoriented and lethargic. When he was taken out of the car and I saw that he stood up, I felt immense relief.

For a long time, the events repeated in my mind like a movie. I realized that my friend drove with loud music and was dancing. He overtook us and made some silly faces. Later on, he tried to brake to make way for another vehicle, but it was too late. He did not have space or time to do so and crashed, losing control.

I realized the great responsibility that we have as drivers, with ourselves, and with those around us. It took my friend a long time to get over it. He felt guilty and even ashamed, which was the least important thing.

Hence the importance of road safety education, as we cannot fix what we are not aware of. Although this education begins at home, in my case, a typical phrase that they repeat to me almost every day is “It’s better to be safe than sorry.” We also discuss car accidents as a family that appears on the news to alert me. I recognize that it’s not enough, especially because when the information comes from a stranger with statistics and evidence, more attention is paid.

From my habits, I envision many ways in which I would like to get involved to contribute to the education of young people regarding this crucial issue. It’s known that one of the best ways to learn is through humor, and in this era of social media. How awesome is to generate entertaining content through Tik Tok! by posting videos daily about safety at the wheel, but in a funny, fresh way, adapted to that segment of the population without focusing on the drama of showing tragic situations. On the contrary, making a parody of all those habits that distract us and undoubtedly expose us, getting the message across in a fresh way.

Before leaving, I check tires, lights, windshields and avoid driving drowsy. Likewise, I make sure that I’m ready before I leave, so I don’t have to apply makeup while driving. As for the cell phone, I only answer emergency calls and from the vehicle functions. About the volume of the music, if I am accompanied and they turn it up and I feel that it distracts me, I immediately lower it.