THE PRIVILEGE OF DRIVING

Every teenager’s dream is to acquire their driver’s license once they turn seventeen years old. At an age so young, it is impossible to fully understand how big of a responsibility it is to be out on the roads. In driver’s education class, we learn that it is crucial to always be completely aware of your surroundings and to stay laser focused at all times while driving. It takes only a split second to get distracted and the consequences of a car crash can be fatal. In 2005 alone, there were over 40,000 highway fatalities in the United States. A number this high is genuinely frightening. As a society, being aware and educated on the statistics should motivate us to always be as safe as possible while driving to reduce the number of deaths from car accidents.

To permanently reduce the number of deaths related to driving, students should be continuously exposed to a proper education on driving. I personally believe that the more you study or analyze something, the more it sticks with you throughout life. Solidifying the concept that driving is a privilege, not a right, should make any driver-but young drivers in particular-extra cautious every single time they are out on the roads. In addition, I think that it may be a smart idea to require people who have their license to be reevaluated on their ability to drive every decade or so. At seventeen, a young driver has been practicing for their driving test for months. At this point, they know every rule of the road and it is fresh in their minds. However, someone who has been driving for ten or twenty years may not be as aware as a new driver who gets fed new information or laws that have just been put in place. Back in the day, when a child turned seventeen they got their license and learned how to drive from that point on. Is it fair to assume that these individuals were ever properly trained or prepared for driving in the real world?

Unfortunately, many people will experience a car accident in their lifetime. When I was eight years old, my younger sister and I were in the backseat of my father’s car. My father was turning into our driveway. As my dad turned in, another car quickly drove beside us and hit the side of our car. All it takes is a moment of impatience and it can turn into something much more catastrophic. We were fortunate enough to have walked away from this minor incident with no injuries. However, it should never have occurred to begin with. People tend to give the impression that they are always in a rush to get somewhere. Being on time is never as important as being safe. In the bigger picture, a life is far more significant than a couple of minutes.

When it comes to bettering oneself on the road, a few steps can be taken. For starters, it is of utmost importance to always be completely aware of all surroundings. It seems like a basic concept, but there are a plethora of events constantly happening all around. It is extremely easy to get distracted and really put yourself and others in danger. I always turn my cell phone off and put it in a place where I cannot access it or see it. Secondly, I always give myself enough time to arrive at my destination at least ten minutes early. People are constantly late which results in them speeding to get to where they need to be on time. As I previously stated and will continue to emphasize, a life is more important than being a few minutes late. Another unfortunate occurrence are drunk drivers. Over ten thousand deaths a year are caused from drunk driving. Driving while intoxicated is a selfish, ignorant thing to do. One thing I would never do is operate a vehicle while intoxicated. It seems like it is common sense, but it unfortunately is not. Displaying responsibility while driving will inspire other drivers to act accordingly. If every driver respected one another on the road, there would be a significant decrease in car accidents.

At the end of the day, there is power in numbers. If everyone who is out there on the road cooperated and respected not only themselves but others too, we would all be safer. Driving is a privilege that can be taken away. Practicing safe driving will benefit everyone lucky enough to have the opportunity to get from point A to point B in the comfort of their own car.