Prevent the trauma

Driving and owning a car is a privilege given to many, but not responsibly taken care of. Drivers education is so much more important than anyone might think. When I began driving, I thought I knew everything about being on the road safely. My parents insisted that I take a driving class to become more informed on the laws and rules of the road. I could not be more thankful to them for that. I believe that the most important thing I learned in my driver’s education class was how to properly use and take care of my car.

Something as simple as using your signals or making sure your brake lights are working could save the lives of many. You may be very educated in what you should do when driving but if you don’t take care of your vehicle you are bound to get hurt. Just like your car is helping you get to your location; you must help it so it can get you there safely.

November 6, 2022 is the day I will never forget. I spent a few days at my sister’s house and we were meeting with my parents to take me home. We met at a gas station where we all decided we were hungry and wanted to eat at a seafood restaurant nearby. I already had my license and they encouraged me to drive.

We were on our way to the restaurant, my mom and my sister were talking and my dad was searching YouTube for some music. It began to rain but I wasn’t worried, I’d driven in the rain before. I was going 45 mph down the highway when suddenly I saw that a car was breaking in front of me. Again, I was not worried because I had a good amount of space between me and the car in front of me. I slowly press down on my brakes; my car doesn’t slow down. I pushed further, I was getting closer to the car, and my brakes aren’t responding. At this point, the only thing I could think of was to swerve left into the median to avoid hitting the car in front of me and injuring someone; the steering wheel doesn’t work. I know what is going to happen next, I use my right arm to shield my mom in the passenger seat, my sister screams, my dad tries to look up. The airbags exploded and there was so much white smoke everywhere I could not even find the door handle to get out. I scream at everyone to get out in fear the car might catch fire. I thank God every day; my sister had a minor dental injury, my dad busted his lip, my mom hit her knees, and I hurt my arm, but we were all alive.

That night I got home and blamed myself. I never thought something like this could have happened to me. Now, I suffer from the trauma of that accident. A few months ago, we were coming home from Virginia after visiting some family there and I fell asleep in the backseat. I was just waking up when I felt the car swerve and I screamed at the top of my lungs. My dad had to swerve because someone was speeding and changing lanes erratically. At that moment, my heart started racing and I began crying; all I could think of was the accident.

Rest assured, I learned so much from that day. In South Carolina, it is not legally required to have your vehicle inspected like it is in other states. However, I have taken it upon myself to always check my vehicle before I leave anywhere and to have it regularly inspected by an expert. I also have friends who have begun driving as well and I make sure to tell them about my experience. Not to scare them, to teach them that this amazing machine that makes life easier can also make it harder if you get hurt in an accident. We need to inform everyone that these accidents do happen. Now, it has become more common because of the influence of technology. Not only cellphones, but there have been cases where people use things like autopilot as an excuse to sleep while driving.

We are driving over 4,000 pounds of metal on a road with people that have lives and families. Driver’s Ed is the first step into teaching everyone responsible driving. We must teach our newer generation how to be safe on the road beforehand. Let’s not forget our older generation, a reminder of the laws won’t hurt them. Everyday, new laws are being passed for our drivers’ safety. When these laws are passed we must correctly notify the public to avoid misunderstandings.