Taking Tests and Saving Lives

I was never scared to drive. In fact I was always super excited for the freedoms that would come with being able to drive. Driving myself to my friends houses, soccer games, school, work, etc, I would be able to do it by myself. When I was a freshman, three kids I was friends with were in a tragic car accident, and unfortunately none of them survived. I used to go to a small school and the community felt these deaths very heavily, just as I did as well as many of the people I was and am friends with. They were so young, the oldest girl who passed had only just gotten her license and was not even 17 yet. The boy was only 15, and the girl was only 14. I am still young, but I was much younger then, and I remember thinking about all the life that I had yet to live and how none of them would be able to go through any of the important life goals that I had yet to reach. Like I said, I’m 17 now and I am older than any of them were and I don’t feel that old. I certainly don’t feel old enough for my life to be over, and yet theirs were before they even reached my age. Their deaths were sudden and tragic, and I still think about them today when I get behind the wheel of any car. Their deaths didn’t scare me away from driving, but they did force me to be cautious and careful, always paying attention and making sure that I am always doing my best to be a good driver. In Massachusetts you are able to get your learners permit once you turn 16, and you can get your license 6 months after receiving your permit. I was right on time with everything. I studied really hard to get my permit, paid so much attention during drivers ed (even when other kids were just goofing around, because I knew the importance of being educated on driving), and then I passed my drivers test after lots of practice on the first try. In Mass you also are not allowed to drive people under 18 without an adult in the car until you’ve had your license for 6 months (for me it was right around when I turned 17). I knew how important this rule was, as I know that passengers can be distracting and I waited and never drove someone before I was able to. I was careful and I paid attention and followed the rules, and I still do, but I remember drivers ed and all the kids who didn’t take it seriously. I know there are lots of adults who didn’t take it seriously as teens and still aren’t safe drivers, and thus accidents are constantly happening. I think there are a few things that could be done to ensure that people are driving responsibly, such as maybe requiring that after 10 years of driving, people have to retake their drivers test instead of just renewing their license. Or maybe they have to take a drivers safety quiz when trying to renew their license, and those who fail could have their license suspended until they take a course and prove that they are learning. I’m not sure that this would make things better, but I think it could have potential. I know people are busy and may not have time to study for a test to renew their license, but if they have been driving for a while and are doing it safely it should be easy. Taking a drivers test should be easy for people who drive all the time. I know this would take a lot of effort and would need laws and regulations and rules but I really think this could help. Driving is not a right, it’s a freedom and people have to earn freedoms, they aren’t entitled to them. If you can’t prove that you are a safe driver, you don’t deserve to be driving. Especially since driving is such an important part of a lot of people’s lives, people should be making sure that they make doing it safely a priority. When saving lives is an option, people should happily oblige to rules that can help. Taking a test every ten years is a minor inconvenience that could very well save hundreds of lives, and I think this should be something everyone should have to do. Being careful and cautious while behind the wheel, driving defensively and being ready for anything is so important. I’ve only been driving for two years, but Ihave a lot of years left to go and I’m ready to admit that as you get more comfortable driving, you also get more dangerous. Accidents happen everyday, and being someone who experienced the tragic loss of people I knew in my community, I know that this is serious and can affect anyone. Staying safe and educating yourself and others on the importance of safe driving, could save lives, and I hope people learn that maybe with some changes to ourselves and our drivers we could lower the amount of accidents that happen each day.