The Importance of Conscious Driving

Thomas Feely

DMV.edu Scholarship

Drivers need to be aware of the responsibility and related risks they take each time they operate a vehicle. Driving is inherently dangerous, and while it has gotten safer in recent history, there is still much risk to anyone on the road. In addition to being aware of their car and the space it requires, drivers need to be especially conscious of motorcyclists as they can be quiet and hide in blind spots; they are also much less stable than cars and lose traction rapidly in snow and rain. When approaching a disabled vehicle, an accident, or a construction zone, turn on your headlights and move as far away from the incident as you can. And when approached from behind by a police car, firetruck, ambulance, or other emergency vehicles, pull all the way over to the right and stop. People often freeze and stop in the middle of the road, adding to the chaos and sometimes getting hit themselves. Interestingly enough, in my state, if someone gets hit by a fire truck, their insurance has to pay for it even if it wasn’t their complete fault, which is why it is essential to have comprehensive insurance on your vehicle.

One step that drivers can take to lower the risk of becoming involved in an accident is to ensure that they are mentally awake and prepared to operate a motor vehicle safely. With the advent of rideshare services, there is no excuse for driving under the influence due to these services’ availability and pricing. Another influential thing individuals can do to limit the risk of driving is to make sure their friends are safe to drive, and in the event, they aren’t, take their keys and arrange for them to get their vehicle the next day. It is important to remember that a speed limit is a limit on a good day and that it is more important to drive to the conditions of the road than keep up with the speed demons in unfavorable weather. An important step to be a safer driver is to become familiar with your vehicle and all of its functions and features. It is best to have a general knowledge of how a four-wheel-drive system works, how to engage it, and how your vehicle will handle when it is in use. In addition, becoming familiar with the airbag system and how to deactivate it if there is a child or rear-facing child seat in the front is crucial in older cars because airbags can do more harm than good to these individuals. If you feel unsafe to drive at any time, it is perfectly justifiable to pull off in a safe location and take a break, switch drivers, or call for help.

As a volunteer firefighter and EMT, I frequently see the consequences of irresponsible, distracted, and impaired driving. In a split-second, people cause irreparable damage to their vehicles and lives, as well as those of others. I have seen some particularly bad wrecks caused by people running red lights in hopes of getting to their destination faster though this particular light is on a 60-second cycle. One cost an intoxicated man driving a tractor-trailer his foot, and another gave a pregnant woman a painful extrication from her car. Both of these were at the same light on different days. Speeding doesn’t cause anything but problems, frequently; on this one highway by my house, people will speed by me, but the way the traffic lights are timed, they usually are only a few cars ahead of me by the time I reach the light. There are also several spots state troopers hide on this stretch of road, and many a time, I have seen people get pulled over.

In order to be a safe driver, when I need GPS assistance, I set it up before I take my car out of park and make sure the sound is turned up so that I don’t have to glance down at the screen and take my eyes off of the road. I take advantage of the “do not disturb while driving” feature because nothing is so crucial that it can’t wait until I get to my destination and if someone needs to get a hold of me, I can answer a call and talk hands-free. I also turn my headlights on when I drive during the daytime to be safe. I am also highly particular when it comes to the safety of my car. Aside from changing the oil and rotating the tires, I change the wipers every six months and treat the glass with water repellent. I also walk around every so often and make sure everything looks the way it is supposed to.