It Is Not Worth It

As far as I know, no one likes getting arrested. Lawyers are expensive, court cases take forever, and jail is simply horrible. Even small fines are bothersome; they can quickly turn someone’s day from great to horrible. Unless there is someone who loves to get arrested, then driver’s education should be important to everyone. It not only teaches people how to avoid getting these fines and arrests, but it provides students with motivation as well. When I was taught the consequences for something as small as speeding over 5mph, it terrified me, but in a really good way. It motivated me not only to not speed myself but to warn my friends and others I know who speed a lot. The same, of course, can be said with distracted driving. When someone learns the true risk of sending just one text message, it can help so much with convincing that person to get rid of their distractions, and that could save a life.

Cars can do a lot, design-wise, to help reduce the number of deaths as well. One idea is that a breathalyzer can come with every car. Then, there is simply no excuse to drink and drive when each person can check their blood alcohol content for themselves. Another feature I think all cars should have is the inability to move if a seatbelt isn’t on. In my car, the two front seats can detect if someone doesn’t have their seatbelt on by the weight on the seat. If there is something over 70 pounds and without a seatbelt, a noise will go off to warn the driver and passengers. I think all seats of the car should have that seatbelt system for every seat, and it should not be able to move until the seatbelt is used. Finally, I truly believe all cars should have seatbelts that racecars have. It is scientifically proven that the 6-point harness seatbelt, a seatbelt used in race cars, is a lot more effective than a regular car seatbelt. The only reason those seatbelts aren’t in actual cars is for cosmetic purposes, and that is not okay!

There are so many ways to reduce the number of deaths caused by driving, but most come down to the individual. There are a number of ways to become a safer driver, and thankfully, they’re pretty easy! Personally, I’ve seen family members watch Netflix while driving, text while driving, and purposely speed all the time. However, it’s important that we always discourage this type of activity. Drivers should always put their phone on do not disturb, no matter how important the message or call may be. Listening to shows or the radio is alright, but never watch the phone! It’s also important that each of us encourage our friends and family not to text and drive as well. If a family member is driving, offer to send the message for them if it’s that important, or politely tell them to put the phone away. Another tip that is super important is to ALWAYS have a backup driver if you are planning to drink. Never get in a car if you’ve consumed alcohol; even if your BAC is below 0.08. If you get into a crash, or if anything serious happens, the blame is automatically put on you if the police find out you’ve been drinking and driving. My last piece of advice is to always make an effort to go to events early. Even if all you’re doing is going to eat with friends, routinely leaving early to events means you never have to speed, and it reduces the chances you will ever be late.

A brilliant kid who was in our school tragically lost his life due to a car accident. He was incredibly kind and always brought a smile onto others’ faces. His death got me thinking about how I drive as well. I used to be a bit of a speeder on country roads, but then I realized how big of a mistake I was making. I had to ask myself: Is this worth your life? Someone else’s? Is this one mistake worth all you wish to become, all you wish to do, and all you wish to see? And the answer is always no. I would never trade my life away for a single text message. I would never destroy someone else’s for a drink. Distracted driving can be summed up in one sentence: it is just not worth it.