Name: Elie Marciano
From: New Orleans, Louisiana
Votes: 0
Not So Fast, Not So Furious
Growing up as a kid, I got my drivers license immediately the day after I turned 16. I was so excited; I could not wait! I tinted my windows, blacked out my wheels, and wanted to show off my new car. I would always say to myself, I will never get into a car accident. I used to think I was invincible on the streets. Unfortunately, one night, everything changed. At the time, I was your typical 19-year-old college student. I was sitting in the passenger seat of my older brother’s vehicle on our way home from a night out. We were just minutes away from home. My brother started to nod off and passed out while driving. BOOM! We swerved into a post light. The next thing I saw was probably the scariest slow-motion scene I have ever watched; the impact of the crash knocked the 15-foot post light made from concrete to the ground. Thank god there were no cars driving under it at the time of its collapse. The airbags inflated and the car spun around like a washing machine until it came to a rest on the other side of the road. The adrenaline and shock took over our whole bodies. Within minutes, the ambulance came, the firefighters, witnesses, and a bunch of police cars. All I could hear was a ringing noise in my ears. All I could see was the flashing lights of the ambulance. The car was completely totaled. In the end, me and my older brother came out of it okay. Honestly, I am glad this happened because if it didn’t, I would probably still think that it wouldn’t happen to me. It was exactly what I needed for me to realize how serious driving is. I finally realized what my parents have been trying to tell me all along. You can have your life taken away from you in the blink of an eye. Now, I see the car accident in a different light. It showed me how precious this life is and that any of us can be taken at any moment. Every day is a blessing. Life is too short. I feel like I should not be alive right now.
The steps that I can take to be a better and safer driver as well as help others become safer on the road to always insist that all passengers buckle up in every seat. This reduces the death rate from motor vehicle accidents by 50%. I will never get behind the wheel if I am sleepy or impaired by alcohol. Even one drink compromises your ability to drive. In this case scenario, you should order an Uber and make sure you have a designated driver. Moreover, always keep your distance between cars and drive at a speed that is 100% safe. In fact, based on a research article Arrive Alive: Fred Mottola’s Tips for Driving Safely “Whenever you are driving behind another vehicle, try to keep at least four seconds of following time and space. This would allow you a safety cushion to react to sudden situation and removes the “control” the car in front has over your actions.” (Muha 6). Being on time for a business meeting or social engagement is not worth risking your life and the lives and safety of others. Finally, never think that you can multitask while driving. That phone call and text message can wait. If not, then get off the road and bring your car to a full stop.
The importance of drivers education in reducing the number deaths as a result of driving is extremely important. “A new study that followed more than 150,000 teen drivers over eight years has found that driver’s education significantly reduces crashes and traffic violations among new drivers. Young drivers who have not completed driver’s education are 75 percent more likely to get a traffic ticket, 24 percent more likely to be involved in a fatal or injury accident and 16 percent more likely to have an accident, the study showed.” (Leslie Reed, 2015). Drivers’ education is crucial to prevent serious car accidents and fatal deaths on the road. It teaches individuals how to break correctly, when to turn the blinkers on, how to follow proper speed limits, how to park properly and much more. Without drivers’ education, there would be no basic knowledge of how to drive safely on the road. Growing up as a teenager, I always wanted more and I was never happy with what I had. Now, after surviving that car accident, waking up every morning is enough for me. Simply being able to breathe, to walk, to see, that’s enough.
References
Muha, Laura. “Arrive Alive: Fred Mottola’s Tips for Driving Safety.” Biography, vol. 5, no. 6, June 2001, p. 70.
“Study: Driver’s Ed Significantly Reduces Teen Crashes, Tickets.” Study: Driver’s Ed Significantly Reduces Teen Crashes, Tickets | Nebraska Today | University of Nebraska–Lincoln, https://news.unl.edu/newsrooms/today/article/study-driver-s-ed-significantly-reduces-teen-crashes-tickets/#:~:text=A%20study%20by%20UNL%20researchers,traffic%20violations%20among%20new%20drivers.
