Not on my watch!

My mom said her dad taught her to drive in a cornfield when she was
twelve but I imagine there wasn’t much oncoming cars turning in
front of her or traffic lights and signs to figure out. Driver
Education is important to fill in those holes a cornfield scenario
can’t address. I was surprised when I took my Drivers Ed class
that what I learned was half rules of the road and half psychology of
what people think as they drive leisurely or in a panic as they try
to avoid an accident.

Avoiding deaths
come down to everything my mother always told me and continues to
tell me when I leave the house, “Stay safe. Don’t speed. Watch
the road. And stay off that phone!” I haven’t had an accident yet
(knock on wood) but I’ve had a couple of moments where I’ve
thought, “That was close.” and while the other driver was the
problem in at least one incident, the other scary moment was because
I was going too fast and wasn’t driving safely. Paying attention to
the road, my speed, and not my texts are the things everyone needs to
do each time to be a safe driver. Even if one driver makes a mistake,
accidents can be avoided if everyone is paying attention.

I’ve not
personally been in an accident but I’ve heard the stories my
parents told me when I was getting my driver’s permit. My dad tells
of his car sliding on ice during a winter storm, twirling him in a
circle down an exit ramp and barely missing reflective signs and
other cars as he spun in fear. My mother always tells me about how
she slowed down as she approached a green light to avoid a cat
running in front of her car and if it wasn’t for the cat, she would
have been T-boned in the intersection by a car speeding through the
red light. I hope I don’t have a story to tell any time soon.

My parents tell
me to be a good driver all the time. I know they love me and want me
to come home safe. A guy my age at a neighboring school decided to
have a drink, and then a few more, and drive home drunk two Octobers
ago. He hit an electrical pole and fell into a coma. He opened his
eyes on Christmas but they never heard his voice again – he died a
few weeks later. This is the closest I’ve gotten to realizing I’m
not invincible out there and I need to be a good driver. I need to
listen to my mom (don’t tell her that) and be vigilant behind the
wheel. I need to remember the rules and know not everyone else will
be following them like they should. I’m driving a potential weapon.
Driving is a privilege, not a right. I have a responsibility to
myself, my parents, and everyone I encounter on the road.