Safety Behind the Wheel

Why do people treat reckless driving as a personality trait? I see people all over the internet and even those around me who seem to be proud that they are terrible drivers. I’ve seen people close to me go through awful car crashes that seriously affected their health. From getting glass in their eyes, flying out of the car, or even losing their lives. There are people who are in continuous pain because of these accidents. There are kids without a parent, parents who lost their kid, a person without a sibling, a lost spouse, or friends forever gone. I don’t have a driver’s license yet, so that results in me receiving rides. I’m grateful to get a free ride, but I feel like the fear isn’t worth it. On those rides, I experienced awful driving like speeding, taking sharp turns, and racing to beat the yellow light, and yet we still arrived late. Two people close to me, one being my grandfather, experienced an awful car accident, and now because of it, they both refuse to drive. The anxiety they felt is something that I never want to put on anyone. Where I live is not a walkable city, so it’s only a matter of time before I learn to drive too.

The fear my grandfather had about driving had passed on to me, but luckily not as severely. Driving a car is like riding a death machine. You’re handed the lives of not just yourself but everyone around you. I know I need to learn how to drive, but I don’t think the people around me should teach me. I’m terrified to be taught their bad habits and become a hazard to everyone. I not only do not have the skills to drive properly, but I also don’t have the confidence to pretend that I do. That’s why I want to take driving lessons, even as an adult woman, to learn how to drive. When you really think about it, just because family members can teach you how to drive for free doesn’t guarantee that you’ll receive the best education. Many people with bad habits may often teach their bad habits to their pupils, which will create unsafe roads. I truly believe driver education is so important to prevent deaths from reckless driving. There are things we need to learn that aren’t common sense, no matter what people tell you. You don’t just magically learn lifesaving instincts; they’re taught through education and practice. Driver education can include driving lessons where someone approved by the DMV can teach you not only to drive but also to lessen the anxiety many people get when driving. These things can be taught to you, which can make you feel safer on the road and save many lives.

There are steps that can be taken to reduce the number of deaths related to driving. I think it’s important to know the basics of driving, like making sure you’ve earned your learner’s permit before trying to practice driving. If you’ve never driven before, you should either make sure it is with a licensed and trusted person in an empty area where you cannot harm anyone or anything. I’d rather go with a professional who teaches behind-the-wheel driving lessons. It’s important to practice before you go on a more crowded road where people might become irrational. With your permit, you must have read the driver’s handbook at least once. You’ll learn to follow the law and the meaning of signs, signals, speed limits, colors, how far to park at a certain place, and more. You should also always stay focused on the road and your surroundings. Never drive when you’re under the influence. Stay clear of distractions, especially from your phone; texting can wait. Make sure you’re always wearing your seatbelt, even if the trip is short. Never let children sit in the front due to the injuries they can receive from the airbags. Make sure children are seated correctly with the proper equipment, if needed. Even as pedestrians, we must be careful. Look both ways before crossing, keep aware of your surroundings, and stay a safe distance away from vehicles. If we encourage others to take a few of these steps, it can result in far fewer deaths related to driving.

The steps I can take to be a better and safer driver are to follow the steps I mentioned above. I want to be educated as much as I can before I start to learn how to drive. I want to make sure that anyone I take as a passenger feels safe and makes it to their destination without feeling worried or anxious. I want to make sure to tell more people to take these steps to ensure they become more mindful about their driving. A tip I want to give to myself and to new and young drivers is to take your time. There’s no need to rush to learn about driving if it will lead to becoming an irresponsible driver. There will be plenty of time to practice before you can get a license, so make use of it. If you have the funds, please take driving lessons seriously. Don’t ignore these rules, like checking your blind spots, avoiding cutting someone off, stopping at a stop sign, driving above or even below the speed limit, texting while driving, etc. I shouldn’t have to live in fear of driving, but people can be so careless. These are little things that we all should do to make our roads safer.