The Importance of Safety in Driving

Megan Hedtkamp

13 February 2021

The Importance of Driving Safety

For most young teens, the moment you turn fifteen and can get your permit, driving is all you think about. That feeling of freedom and being able to take yourself wherever you want and whenever you want. It is the most exciting thing about starting high school. Depending on your state depends how you learn to drive before taking the test on your sixteenth birthday. For me, I grew up in Missouri, so my “teacher” was either my mom or dad. It really depended on who was brave enough to get in the car with me really. Luckily, I had my mom as a good teacher. She knew to stay calm and explain to me what I needed to do. My dad on the other hand was gripping the car door until hi knuckles turned white. Like me, most of young teens in Missouri learned from a parent or whoever had their license and was willing to teach them. The scary part about that is people tend to bend rules in ways that suit their own needs. Once a teenager receives their license there is no guarantee that they will follow the rules their parents taught them. Every day we get in our cars and do not think much of it. Yet, driving is one of the most dangerous things we as people constantly do. Accidents happen every single day and still we go about our business driving our cars. One wrong move while driving and you or someone else’s life could change forever.

In states such as Missouri maybe there should be a required class student must take after they receive their permit. If everyone is educated with the same material, knowing the same rules could help reduce the chances of young driving making simple mistakes. One solution that came to mind would be to implement a driving class into the high school curriculum. By a student’s senior year, their schedule is full of more elective than core courses. Meaning, if schools added a required driving course that a student must take either their freshman or sophomore year, it would not affect a student’s chances of graduation and completing the required number of credits. There are many ways you could develop this driving class. Obviously, not all schools would be able to afford to have a car for students to practice their driving in. So, some ways to run the class could be to find good demonstrative videos that could almost simulate what it would be like if a student were actually driving. In a driving class not only would it be important to teach teens the controls and how to maneuver their car, but it would also be important to make sure they understand consequences of reckless driving. While you cannot control what people do, you can offer alternatives that reduce chances of accidents. A big issue is when a person is on their phone while driving. As an alternative make sure a student knows how to connect their device to the care via Bluetooth. Most of the time if a ca has Bluetooth, you can change the song or volume through controls on the steering wheel. There are also no phone holders that you attach to the vents in your car, that way a person is not looking down at their phone when driving. The main issues dealing with teenagers is you can tell them right from wrong, but they may still choose or do wrong, and because you cannot force them to behave a certain way offering alternatives and different ways to look at a situation could help.

I am fortunate enough to have not been in any sort of car accident or pulled over for the three whole years I have been driving. What is crazy is it feels as though I have been driving for most of my life, but in reality, it has only been three years. Though I have never been in an accident myself just about four months ago I had someone very close to me get in their first. My boyfriend, Nolan, was on his way to his hockey game. I was riding with his mom to stop and get a new hockey stick for him when we got the call. His mom’s phone rings through the car, and she answers on speaker phone. The first thing Nolan said was, “I got in a wreck”. It truly is one of those events that can happen anytime and when you least expect it. My eyes widen and I could not say a word. Luckily, his mom was able to stay calm, ask Nolan where he was, and then we were on our way. It was less than ten minutes before we were there, but my mind could not stop thinking of the worst. Arriving at the scene, the whole rear end of his car was smashed in. My heart was racing, and water began to fill my eyes. I have never been so grateful that he was okay. Everyone involved in the accident came out without a scratch. Before that day, I had never worried about an accident happening to me, or any of my loved ones. From then on anytime he got in the car, a little part of me was worried, anxious for a text saying he arrived to his location. I think no one is scared of an accident happening until they experience one, or a loved on is in one. We all take life for granite until it almost slips out of our hands. I was not even in the accident, but no I drive more cautious than ever.

I was never a reckless driver before, but after my boyfriend’s accident I really became aware of how I drove. I did not think much of checking my phone at a light, or if I was on a straight road and reading a text. Now, I put on my music and put my phone down. The best way to be a safer driver is to make sure you are engaged with your surroundings. One thing my dad taught me that I also do is drive as if everyone around you is an idiot. You can only be in control of your own vehicle. So, my job and everyone else’s job when behind the wheel is to make sure they are in control of your car and are aware of your surroundings. We may all never be perfect at driving, but we all can improve.