Save Lifes, Drive Safe

Save Lives, Drive Safe

The importance of driver’s education is critical. Being behind the wheel is something that can change a person’s life forever. Statistics show people who have taken driver’s education courses get in fewer accidents in comparison to those with no drivers education experience. Those who have taken the course, about 11.1% of them get into an accident. Compared to people who haven’t taken driver’s education about 12.9 % get into an accident. 2.1% of people who take driver education die or get injured in car accidents. 2.6% of people that don’t take driver’s education die or are injured in a car accident. The numbers for taking drivers education lessens the amount that get into fatal accidents

“Sweet home Alabama” my sister and I sang along on a very narrow road. “Where the skies are so blue now.” BABABABA as we hit the rumble strip. I looked at her and her face was scrunched up like a little mouse, knowing that the edge was really close. Another foot and we would have gone off into a ditch. She takes a deep breath and slows the car down just a little bit, then starts to sing again. “Lord, I’m coming home to you”. Both of us just keep singing, knowing we still have about 30 minutes left in the drive.

We start to go up this little hill that makes you turn left and then right. There was some oncoming traffic. Neither of us thought much of it. The blinker of this truck and trailer turn on. There was a small dirt road near the bottom of the hill. Behind the truck was a huge semi truck. We get closer to the hill as we notice the semi could not slow down as much as he needed to. The truck and trailer had almost come to a complete stop. The semi pulls out from behind the trailer and comes into our lane. My sister hits the brakes and pulls as far off to the side of the road as she could. The semi is rolling through. The semi is coming straight for us. I grab the handle for dear life and close my eyes. The semi was able to get the cab into the other lane. The rest of the trailer on the semi through the little space between us and the truck and trailer.

At this point in time we have come to a complete stop on the very narrow road. We just sat there and took a breath of air. The music was blasting Sweet Home Alabama still. My heart was racing so fast it could have jumped out of my chest and ran away. I look over at my sister and she looks at me. Without having to say a word we both said the same thing. She leaned over, turned the music down and hit the gas. We eased out of the dirt and back on to the pavement to continue home.

From this experience I have learned that we don’t need to be safe on the road by seat belts, speed limit, and being safe when you try to pass someone. Those are all things that we should do to keep ourselves and others safe. Defensive driving is something that can save your life and others. If my sister didn’t slam on the brakes and pull to the side we would have had a head on collision. I have many other stories where an accident would’ve happened if I didn’t get out of the way.

To help reduce the number of deaths due to irresponsible driving, we can teach todays youth defensive driving. Teach kids how to drive defensively and to always be aware of their surroundings. Teach young adults the risk of driving unsafely. I know for a fact that when you are 14/15, all you think about is getting your license. It’s all you dream about. I also know that a lot of young teenagers never have even touched the steering wheel until they turn 15 and everything is new and scary. Teaching kids how to drive at a younger age than 15 is a way to get them more prepared on the road. They are also more likely to not get in as many accidents.

Educating today’s youth is the only way I see driving getting safer in the future. Implementing classes that help young kids get their license and learn the rules and ways of the road. I live in a small mountain town and we don’t have a driver’s education class. We have to do it on our own to get our permit and our license. I know so many kids that just wait till they are 18 to get their license. They are so scared to be driving that they get in accidents or drive 40 MPH under the speed limit. If we have a class then we are able to educate the young kids so they are also better prepared for their future in driving.