Earning that Responsibility

The ability to drive is a massive responsibility for anyone that puts the effort toward earning that responsibility. When a person is committed to getting behind the wheel, they need to be committed to not only the safety of themselves but others as well. This means being wary and attentive to your surroundings at all times and reducing the number of distractions while on the road. Because it is so commonplace to own and operate a several-ton vehicle traveling at upwards of eighty miles per hour, car accident deaths outnumber those fought in the fifth most deadly war of the United States.

I have been in a car accident before. I flipped a truck when driving home from work when I was seventeen. I lived ten minutes from my job at a fast-food restaurant, but the way home was on a winding county road surrounded by trees. I was driving my grandmother’s old truck, which I had driven only once before this point. My mother was in the process of buying a new car, so it was my only transportation at the time. Now, around seven pm during the summer, the sun was positioned in such a way above the trees that gave very low visibility for anyone who drove through. I was always a cautious driver, but nothing could’ve helped me when the sun blocked my vision on a large curve. Nothing could’ve prepared me for being completely blinded for several seconds. I under-compensated the turn at first and over-compensated it while trying to correct it. I over-compensated once again and found myself out of control. The truck flipped several times and landed in the ditch a couple of dozen feet ahead. Luckily, I had landed upright and was still strapped into my seat. My phone had flown out the window, but it was playing a song so I was able to locate it.

I came out relatively unscathed, except for a minor concussion and some scrapes. At the local hospital, however, they found something during the standard CT scans. There was an unknown mass in the center of my brain that was barely noticeable, but there. It was unrelated to the car accident or my concussion, but if I hadn’t been in the accident, who knows when I would’ve visited the hospital to notice it. What was unknown was revealed to be two cysts on the pineal gland. I visit the hospital yearly for MRIs, to make sure they don’t grow and cause problems in the future. My mother calls the car accident a blessing in disguise. If I hadn’t been in the accident, we wouldn’t have known about my brain’s situation. If I had been distracted or not been buckled up, my situation could have turned out differently.

The sad reality is what happened to me can and most likely will happen to many others. I’ve seen it myself. When you live in a small town surrounded by county and side roads, people get over-confident in their abilities as a driver and decide to take it too quickly. What’s worse is many of these roads are badly paved and have little to no street signs to warn people of the danger they face by driving recklessly. Unfortunately, I know family members and friends who actively use their phones while driving as well. My mother opens text messages and uses ‘voice text’ to reply to people. When I point out my worry and the danger of doing so, she brushes me off. It’s the same with my sibling when I remind them not to focus on changing the music during driving. He, at least, asks for my help if he is at the wheel. What frustrates me is the fact that phone companies try to automate the functions of people’s devices, which causes people to behave recklessly and put themselves and others at risk.

I try my best to encourage those close to me to stay safe while driving and reduce the distractions they’re exposed to while behind the wheel. I always offer assistance when they need to get back to someone immediately or need to use their devices in any way. I assist in other aspects as well. My mother is significantly shorter than me, so sometimes she cannot see vehicles to the back right while driving. I lend my eyes whenever needed. I find what’s best is being open about my worries and the safety of others is the best way to get through to a frequently distracted driver.

The most effective way to reduce accidents related to motor vehicles is to be a good driver yourself. Make responsible decisions when committing to sitting behind the wheel. Always be attentive to your surroundings. Your top priority should be arriving at your location. Arriving faster does not claim superiority over arriving alive and safe. It could all end in an instant if you are not careful. Keep yourself in check when making this commitment, and keep your loved ones in check as well.