Opening Eyes to Driving Wise

A risk is taken every time you get behind the wheel. You have lives in your hands, whether you realize it or not. One slight distraction while driving can change the destiny of many individuals. Some people do not completely understand the importance of safe driving; however, if people took the time to learn it an incredible number of lives could be saved. The amount of accidents while on the road would lessen tremendously if we took the step to educate those are all that goes into being a safe driver. Making sure your main focus is the road, not on any other distractions, and knowing how to be safe is going to make the roads safer.

Almost exactly two years ago my two younger sisters and I were off to our home town, a small town in Iowa, to celebrate Thanksgiving with my family. We left around 11 am, my parents were going to meet us there once they got off work. Beginning my road trip I was on the interstate going approximately 83 mph, when suddenly I felt my car shaking. A startled look appeared on my sisters’ faces as they saw me begin to worry. I called my father about the sensation I was experiencing when I was driving and he told me to not worry because my tires were probably just adjusting since he recently got them rotated and that should go back to normal soon. I then got off the shoulder of the interstate and attempted to gain speed agan, but was unable because now not only was my car shaking tremendously, but there were also black figures coming out from behind my vehicle. Concerned, I pulled over once more, exited my vehicle, and saw my rear drivers’ side tire had completely burst. Just past the exit going into about 30 minutes out of town, my sisters and I sat in my car while I thought about my next move.

I had absolutely no experience with knowing how to change a tire. I had called both parents and unfortunately my dad was in an important business meeting at the time and my mom told me that she would come when she got the chance. My two choices were to either figure it out on my own, or wait to find someone who would be able to help me out of my delma. As I sat outside my car pondering on my next step, a wonderful elderly couple hauling a trailer pulled over to ask if there was anything that they could do to help. Shortly after a younger male pulled up behind the trailer that the couple was hauling, he had many tools in his car along with a tire pressure gauge. The younger male and the elderly man helped check the pressure of the spare I had in the back of my vehicle. Unfortunately there was not enough air in my spare for my car to be able to drive on it, so despite what I have been told all my life––never get into a car with a stranger––my sisters and I got into the elderly couples vehicle, so I could fill up my spare at the nearest gas station. Once we did, we made our way back to the shoulder where my car had been stranded. The kind young man put my spare on my vehicle; however, the spare that I had available to me was only a donut, which I am only allowed to drive at most 55 mph. This put me in a sticky situation, since the speed limit was at 70.

The speed limit at 70 mph and me going 45, had cars blasting past me left and right due to my reduced speed. Earlier I had made a call to my mom and she was going to meet me at a tire place which was located 15 minutes in the opposite direction I was going. This meant I had to totally reroute myself. Being emotionally stressed I made sure everyone was buckled and turned off the radio before departing. Although I removed all of the physical distracts before my departure, I was still emotionally distracted from all that had just occurred. I was not in the right state of mind to be behind the wheel of a vehicle. This statement was proven when I went to switch from the right lane to the left, but failed to see a big red truck behind me because of his high speed and the fact that when I checked for a vehicle he was in my blind spot. This caused us to collide. I side swiped him which resulted in both my car and the truck going into the ditch. I got extremely lucky that day, no major injuries resulted from the accident. I only had a couple bumps and bruises––the cops told me that I was very lucky that that is all I left the accident with that day.

Unfortunately it took a disaster like this one for my eyes to open on how extremely important road safety is. Drivers’ safety is discussed but putting a description on what this entails is important Also, most drivers need to learn physical and mental distractions means and how to best eliminate them. Learning about distractions when driving is a good first in step in deteriorating the number of death due vehicles. If I were to take a minute to gather myself and clear my mind of all emotions I bet that afternoon would have played out a lot differently. Wearing your seatbelt, putting away things that consume your mind, and always double checking before making a decision when behind the wheel are just a few ways you and the people around you can take to make the road a safer place to be.