Respect on the Road

The absolute, number-one reason why people my age die is from incidents with vehicles. It’s something that I am very aware of, something I have to be aware of, every time I get behind the wheel. In this day and age, especially given the terrible state of public transportation in my region, everyone who can afford it has to drive. Because my parents are both full time workers and, being a big family, things constantly crop up, I tend to drive my two younger sisters everywhere. It’s a large responsibility, which I am aware of and carry every time they step into my old, dinged-up truck. And every day, I do my best to keep my eyes on the road, keep myself clear of distractions, and keep us out of harm’s way. But, as demonstrated by the drivers who choose to tailgate me and weave in and out of traffic wantonly, this is not an easy task. Every day is a perilous journey just to get to school, and all it takes is one moment, one, singular moment, to end everything.

The fear and constant danger that driving can present is the exact reason why driver education is crucial to reduce deaths related to driving, and is a complete necessity in our society. I’ve witnessed time and time again, the newly-licensed kids at my highschool ripping around in the parking lots or on the road, racing each other in and out of traffic and tailgating people at high speeds. It isn’t that they haven’t been educated, but more so the lack of regard or care for any other drivers or people on the road. In this aspect, I think education is extremely important, but a certain level of creating driver’s awareness is also necessary to be taught to young and old drivers alike. Our world is growing more selfish daily, and I think that this has been eerily present in our driving habits. So, I think it is extremely important to stress the fact that you aren’t the only one on the road, and to teach drivers to take responsibility for themselves while on the road.

Awareness while driving needs to be taught in another aspect as well; defensive driving. I do my best to always be entirely aware while behind the wheel, and oftentimes I find myself quickly spotting cars whom I know will create an issue, which allows me time to move out of their way before a possible accident occurs. When you’re aware of your surroundings, or when you’re more experienced at driving, you can learn to spot the problematic drivers at a glance by their speed, driving habits, and attitudes towards other vehicles. This allows me to anticipate the driver’s next move, whether they’re tailgating me or swerving around traffic, and either slow down to let them pass or move out of their lane. Occasionally, on a few scary moments, I have spotted drivers who I knew, in that moment, were going to cut in front of me on the highway and potentially squeeze through a gap dangerously, and hit me. In these instances, though one should always try to avoid being put in this position, I have to take precautions and drive extremely carefully to avoid an accident. Luckily, in all these instances, I have been able to detect the problem ahead of time and adjust accordingly. My ability, self-taught through cautiousness and experience, to drive defensively should be a common practice to keep everyone safer. It should certainly be implemented into the Driver’s Ed curriculum everywhere, and taught thoroughly so that students know not to necessarily seek out to enter confrontational or dangerous situations, but to anticipate and prepare for them on the road so that they may be able to spot any problem and be ready for any situation.

I do believe that these are the main things that, if done properly, could prevent a lot of accidents on the road and therefore prevent many deaths. However, there are a few other factors that must also be acknowledged and recognized. People should certainly try to be predictable drivers, as using turning signals, following the rules of the road, etc, will help other drivers be safe. When drivers do unpredictable and unexpected things, especially in trafficked areas or around less-experienced or defensive drivers, it can cause major accidents if people do not react quickly enough. Of course, distractions, texting, and driving drunk are all still major issues plaguing our roadways. These should be drilled into every driving course as the worst thing a driver could possibly do, and in whatever way possible, be made clear to every driver that, should they do this, they could potentially ruin not just their own life, but the lives of others as well.

I have never been in a car crash, but I live in apprehension that one day, in a flash, all my hard work and effort will mean nothing and I, or worse, my passengers and siblings as well, will be gone, just like that. It is increasingly important to educate every driver on the road, and perhaps even implement regular re-tests for drivers to make sure their skills are still intact. I consider it to be a civic duty to drive responsibly, for myself, my passengers, and other people. Of all of the things and values to be considered while driving, I think that this notion is encompassed by the greatest of them; respect and responsibility. When people make decisions to drive distracted, drunk, and recklessly, the root of the matter is that they truly don’t have any respect or care for anyone else on the road. If we all drive with respect to others on the road, and take responsibility for our own actions, to be better drivers for the sake of ourselves and others, then everyone will have a safe, predictable environment to drive and thrive in.