Livin’ the Dream

Nearly every kid, ages 3 to 15 dreams of driving. Whether it’s their make-believe race car, their future dream car, or the shopping cart at Walmart, we all envisioned driving at some point. What we all didn’t realize was that there are a lot more dangers than we could ever imagine. Though we do get to enjoy freedom, convenience, and the feeling of the windows rolled down, blasting our favorite song, we also have to consider our safety and the safety of others on the road. The question is, how do we make this exciting experience safer, for those behind the wheel and others on the road.

Increased driver education makes drivers more aware of the risks of driving.There are so many factors to consider while driving that most drivers do not even know exists, such as pedestrians, bicyclists, motorcyclists, animals, and other road hazards. It is our natural tendency as drivers to only look for other cars while driving, but increased education about driving can assist drivers to be more aware of other road hazards and avoid accidents and deaths. Increased driver education can also help drivers to know what to do in abnormal situations while on the road which can prevent crashes as well. I personally remember my first time driving in the snow. Though I had completed driver’s education, I felt as though I hadn’t learned enough about driving in this kind of weather. When something goes wrong while driving, it is our natural reaction to panic, especially new drivers. Even experienced drivers do not always react the best in scary situations. Drivers Education will assist drivers, new and experienced, how to react calmly and logically in emergency situations.

When talking about reducing the number of deaths related to driving, the first thing that comes to my mind is more education and increased attention. Speaking as someone who took driver’s education, there are still a number of scenarios I encounter that I was not taught. Utah requires 30 hours of driving education, but there are states that require far less than that. Increasing the amount of driving instruction someone receives before they get their license, and even throughout their life can reduce the number of deaths related to driving. We can also increase awareness of the dangers of driving irresponsibly. With constant reminders, commercials, and posters about the danger of drinking and driving, or even fixing your hair while driving, drivers will be encouraged to think twice before picking up their phone or putting on mascara while they are at the wheel. Especially with alcohol, increased awareness that even one drop can hinder your judgement while driving could assist in making our roads safer.

Unfortunately there have been various occasions where I have seen my friends and family drive irresponsibly. On one occasion, my friend was driving us to a football game. She was trying to text our other friends who were already there that we were on our way. It was a quick text that could have taken 30 seconds to send, but we both knew that it was still an irresponsible act. She handed me her phone after I insisted, and I sent the text message while she continued driving us to the game safely. The dangers of driving irresponsibly range from something as small as texting to something bigger, like drinking and driving. There is a girl a year older than me who was driving back from Bear Lake in Utah with her friends one Friday night. They were driving through a windy canyon, doing everything right like they had been taught. Out of nowhere, a truck driven by a drunk driver swerved into their lane, hitting them head on. She sustained the most serious injury out of all the people involved, having to amputate both her legs at the knee and be paralyzed from the waist down. It is unfortunate that these young teens were doing everything they could to drive safely, and yet the irresponsible actions of an experienced driver turned their lives upside down. It is everyone’s job to do their part to keep our roads safe. It’s also our job to make sure others are doing the right thing behind the wheel.

Driving is such a great experience, some of my favorite memories involve road trips, or driving down the road passing gorgeous scenery. However, we all want to keep our roads clear, and maintain the fun experience. So we all, including myself, must do what we can to make sure that we all get home safe.