The Art of Driving

“We’re going to get hit!”, my dad yelled as we sat silently in the car and in a matter of seconds, that’s exactly what happened. After the cars collided, I was in a state of confusion. How could we possibly be hit when my dad was notoriously known for being the most careful driver I know? As I observed my surroundings, I was in a state of shock. We were a part of a three-way collision and we were in the front of it all. We were rear ended by a car who was now completely wrecked. Nevertheless, what made me speechless was the fact that my dad knew the outcome before it even happened. 

Over the course of my own driving learning, my dad has emphasized a safety skill that’s hard to achieve. He says to be a proficient and safe driver at all times, one must always look for all the minuscule signals in the road.  According to my dad, you must be aware of the other drivers and speculate their next move to avoid casualties from happening in the road. However, many teenagers, like myself, have not reached this level of confidence. As I begin my journey with driving, I have begun to see how important this skill is in order to be safe on the road. 

“Always look ahead of you”, my instructor repeated as I began to drive down the driveway. We had practiced this skill over the past couple of courses. The skill of looking at what’s ahead of you in order to plan your next steps on the road. This is an important skill because it makes you prepare for what might happen ahead of you, so you can either be proactive or reactive. Being able to predict whether a casualty might happen near or to one in the road could result in one avoiding or surviving the impact. 

I am constantly reminded of the importance of being prepared and mindful. Driving classes have taught me another important lesson, the importance of practicing in order to have a better performance on the road. The performance does not only come from the speed one drives, but also on how to prepare when you get to the road. This can be either making sure all systems in the car are working properly or making sure one and all the passengers are wearing seatbelts. 

Safety on the road is not only based on how you perform while driving, but also your state of mind while driving. In other words, the mindset one brings behind the wheel. The mood of a driver impacts its decision making, which at times leads to one taking “driving risks” one wouldn’t usually do (DriversEd). These risks can lead one to miss a red light, a stop sign or to go over the speed limit through a school or construction zone (Brain Injury Alaska). In order to reduce these risks that are likely to lead to deaths in the road, one must always be sure that it is fit to drive. We must ask ourselves whether we are in the right mindset to drive and whether we are in a state of over excitement, sadness or anger.

Another factor that impacts the way one drives is alcohol and drugs. A prominent issue for many teen drivers is that “eight teens die every day in DUI crashes” (Courtinfo.ca). Some measures can be taken to decrease these fatalities. For example, if one drinks, one must always have a designated driver or walk, use public transportation or pay a transportation service.  Some steps the government could take in order to ensure the safety for all drivers could be having more highway patrol officers to reduce the number of drunk drivers.  

 

As a new driver, I am still working on navigating my surroundings while driving. One potential risk I face is the amount of anxiety I experience when I drive. The constant worrying overwhelms my brain, and I am constantly questioning whether I’m making the right decision or not. Thus, as a measure to be safe on the road, I breathe and remind myself of the need to be confident and to make wise decisions. I assure myself I’m making the right decision for my current situation and the situation that’s ahead. 

Another measure I take is to always put my phone away while I am driving.  Checking our cellphones is one of the most addictive activities many teens, like myself, engage in. When a phone buzzes, there’s such a high urgency to know what is going on that we cannot stop ourselves.  However, one text can lead to a car crash. Thus, some steps people can take is having their phones in Do Not Disturb, a setting where messages are not alerted until the setting is taken off, or simply just turning the phone off and enjoying the drive.