‘Seconds Matter’ Lessons learned after the license

Driving in itself is a reliable, convenient, and sometimes thrilling activity. I think everyone enjoys the feeling of being out on the ‘open road’ and getting places easier. Which is the appeal. While driving is fun, it is also dangerous in a matter of mere seconds you could end someone’s life. Scarily enough, we allow teenagers to be on the road and do something as potentially dangerous as driving. Driver’s education plays a crucial role in educating those between the ages of 16 and 18 on driving safely. Driver’s education simultaneously promotes safe driving and educates students on traffic laws. Their primary goal is to make roadways safer and ensure that everyone stays alive. As a result, this helps the number of lives taken by driving decrease. In a way, driving school is somewhat similar to med school in which the institute is teaching the students to save lives. Or rather prevent other people’s deaths. Just by attending Drivers Ed, you can reduce the number of deaths by adhering to and absorbing the information given to you. Drivers Ed also warns you about the dangers of reckless driving and driving while intoxicated. Drivers Ed gives you a guide on safe driving. But law dictates that only 24 hours of driver’s ed is required for teens to get their license. Therefore teens might not receive the multitude of lessons needed for driving on the road safely. This, unfortunately, means that there will be lives taken on the road which could be totally avoidable with thorough education. To reduce the number of deaths related to driving there should be more awareness about the dangers of driving. Generally, teenagers heed warnings about safe driving with flippancy and disregard. If teenagers are informed by a source they trust they have the ability to make better choices. One way to reach out and enlighten teenagers about safe driving is through social media where teenagers spend most of their time. Especially on platforms like Tiktok and Instagram, where you can make skits or just 30-second informational videos that teens can have easy access to. Another way is by posting signage on highways that remind people not to speed or to keep seat belts buckled at all times. Or possibly they could be posted on regular roadways. The hope is that if they are bombarded by messages they will be better able to absorb the information. People must follow the rules of the road and respect them. Especially since anyone can be an irresponsible driver. I have experienced the effects of irresponsible driving firsthand. It was an average summer day in Ohio, when I was involved in a tragic accident, though it was not fatal it very well could have ended my life. Many intricate relatively small things happened that contributed to the accident. My mother was driving through an intersection and there was a sudden light change. She wasn’t paying attention and she missed it. She was distracted and she hit someone. In my memory, it happened in slow motion but in actuality, it was a mere second. Seconds where my mother would have hit the brakes. Seconds where she hit someone and damaged someone’s car. I was in the backseat and incidentally, I was wearing a seatbelt. Had I not been, I could have flown through the window. It’s funny how one slight movement or one second can change whether you live. Being in an accident has irrevocably and permanently changed my attitude towards driving. Since I don’t drive I can suggest to my friends who do drive the following tips. Don’t speed. Both teenagers and adults are guilty of speeding since it’s viewed as harmless. It is far from harmless even if a street is empty or you’re late for something you should never speed. Speeding is just seconds where you don’t have control over your vehicle, as I stated before it takes mere seconds to get into an accident. Also, look in your blindspots. When driving the easiest way to avoid an accident is by checking your blindspots. Avoid driving while emotional. Driving while sad, angry, or just feeling extremely volatile can be extremely dangerous. If you’re like me and you are only able to be a passenger, one way you can help the driver drive safer is by texting them while they’re driving so they are not distracted. Swerving to avoid animals is also unadvised stopping when Finally, now that I’ve covered the dangers of speeding and cutting out distractions one other thing to remember is not to rely on other drivers. Be considerate but don’t think that other drivers are better than you or more experienced. On the road look out for yourself and constantly be prepared for the worst-case scenario. To conclude, driving is nothing to take lightly and must be done with the utmost precision. Aim to seek more knowledge about safe driving outside of drivers ed. If you are driving be extremely careful and remember it only takes a few seconds to change your life.