Importance of being a Better Driver

As a teenager, I am new to driving, therefore I am extra cautious. Sometimes when I am in the car with friends it makes me nervous because a lot of them are very unsafe drivers. They speed, they swerve, they change lanes constantly. I always tell them that they need to do better, but they never listen. This is why I usually offer to drive instead.

Growing up, my parents have always preached the importance of being a safe driver, so when I started driving, I took the steps to be like them. For one, it is important to always stay calm and not let road rage overcome you. Aggressive driving like tailgating and swerving in and out of lanes are the cause of 56% of car accidents according to Dolman Law. This is why it is important to stay calm in any situation so that you will not be in a very easily avoidable accident. Another tactic that I practice is to avoid speeding. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, speeding accounts for 29% of accidents. Even if you are running late for work or school or anything, it is worth it to still drive at the speed limit. I also make sure that I am fully awake before I get behind the wheel. I feel that a sleepy driver is almost just as dangerous as a drunk driver. If I have to be somewhere early in the morning, I will wake up two hours before I have to leave to make sure that I am completely awake and ready to drive. Another thing to avoid is texting while driving. I feel that this is something that most people do even though they should not. Texting while driving is, I feel, the biggest mistake you can make when driving as it causes so many accidents. Lastly, if you go out with friends for drinks, always make sure that there is either a designated driver to stay sober, or you can call a taxi or an Uber. So many people die each year due to someone thinking they are alert enough to drive.

In the state I got my license in, Mississippi, Drivers Education is not required. In fact, many people my age did not even take a drivers test when they got their license. Seeing how people my age drive on a daily basis, it is easy to tell that they have not taken any drivers courses. Teenagers are a lot of the time really aggressive drivers, as they speed, text, make a lot of lane switches, etc. I feel that because I took a drivers education course, I am a more cautious driver. Drivers Education really showed me the dangers of being distracted, and has quickened my reflexes for when something fast happens that I need to react to. When a lot of teens are not getting the amount of practice they should be having, it hurts their reaction time. That is why I feel that teens should take drivers ed courses. If teens had to take the course, many more lives could be saved because they would understand the dangers of driving more and usually be more careful.

There have been multiple occasions where I have almost been in a car wreck, but luckily because I was focused I was able to prevent them. For example, one time I was driving on a road with more than one lane and a woman did not check her blind spot before trying to switch lanes. If I was not paying attention, she would have crashed into me but I was able to prevent that from happening. Another time someone had fallen asleep while driving and started driving on the wrong side of the road straight towards me. I was able to realize it and swerve out of the way and the person had woken up and swerved back into their lane. Another time I was driving on the interstate and all of the traffic had stopped suddenly, so I had to slam on my brakes without letting the people behind me crash into the back of my car. If I was not paying attention, I would have just crashed into the back of the car in front of me and there would be a pile-up caused by me being distracted.

In conclusion, the best way to drive responsibly is to always be alert. Make sure you are fully awake, not texting, and always paying attention to your surroundings, because sometimes you will have to prevent an accident.