A Diabetic’s Guide for Safe Driving Practices, The Relevance of Driver Education, and The Power That Media Has To Save Lives

I’m a type one diabetic from Maine and this is my experience of how crucial safe driving practices are, and an idea of how we can encourage others to utilize those practices. I was, in part, taught these by driver education. I also learned an important lesson from a frightful phone call I received from my mother.

I understand the urgency of spreading messages to encourage safe driving more than most. After school one day, I received a call from my mom, which was unusual. I was nervous because I knew my brother was supposed to be picking me up. My mom explained, “Your brother has been in a car accident”. My heart felt broken at that statement. Hearing that line first was very scary, as I didn’t know the specifics of the crash. She later reassured me he was okay, but the car, with the front end crushed on the side of the road, was a hair-raising sight. He could’ve gotten really hurt. And so, safe driving became an even-more-important topic in my household. Being cautious on the road is not only important to the person driving, but also to their friends and family. No one wants to get a call saying someone they love was in danger due to a car accident, especially since they can cause a lot of damage or, in more tragic cases, be fatal.

Driver education is important in reducing fatal car accidents because it teaches us, in detail, the safety rules of the road. We are taught the meanings of road signs, things to look out for when driving, and how to handle certain situations relating to driving. Personally, in my drivers’ education, we had a day where we used “drunk goggles” to simulate the effects alcohol has on balance and vision when doing simple tasks. This helped with alerting students that driving under the influence is not okay and that alcohol toys with how we perceive things, such as the road. Having a class setting where people who are learning to drive can learn the dangers of driving under the influence helps communicate the message that it is not okay, which helps reduce the number of deaths. Also, since I attended driver education in Maine, we were able to learn what to do in scenarios specific to our area. We learned about driving in winter when it’s snowy and icy. The instructors put an emphasis on driving very cautiously in those conditions. We watched several videos about car accidents that happened from moose walking across the road and how other wildlife can do a lot of damage.

Greater awareness, especially using advertisements on social media, can help reduce the number of deaths related to driving. In the general media, such as television shows, youtube videos, movies, and plays, we need to have storylines with themes warning viewers of the dangers of unsafe driving. Not only should they detest driving under the influence, but they should also warn against driving while tired, speeding, and in other unsafe states. Making the public more aware of an issue is a critical step in creating an environment where change is possible. There isn’t a better way of showing this awareness than in the media.

Some steps anyone can take to be safer on the road would be to always be conscious of your surroundings, emotions, and any personal fatigue. Being alert on the road is the most important thing when driving. Anything such as blindspots, negative emotions, and exhaustion can make drivers unaware of potential threats on the road.

Performing self-evaluations before getting behind the wheel is vital when making sure that you, as the driver, are in the right headspace and are focused. I always ask myself, before getting in the driver’s seat, how I would feel if someone I loved, like my brother, were in the same mental and physical condition as me and was going to drive. If my answer is that I would not trust them to drive since I would worry about them being unsafe, I don’t get behind the wheel. As a type one diabetic, this is especially true when I have a high or low blood sugar. High and low blood sugars can negatively affect my concentration and ability to think. As a type one diabetic, I am given a lot of trust and responsibility when I am on the road. I understand I owe it to other drivers to make sure my blood sugar is at a healthy level when driving. Focused and alert drivers are safe drivers, so I only drive when I feel I am mentally and physically ready to drive. I hope to urge other drivers, especially diabetics, to do the same.