On the Road

I
can vividly recall my first time experiencing the effects of
irresponsible driving. When I was 14, my cousin Joey and I were
biking home late one night in a small suburban neighborhood. We
arrived at an intersection and noticed a car approaching in the
distance. With the bright red stop sign perched on the corner, Joey
biked forward. I realized far too late that the car was not slowing
down. Twenty feet in front of me, the car collided with my cousin. I
remember instantly dropping my bike, being too engrossed with shock
to even scream. Immediately, tears streamed down my face even after
Joey rolled off the hood of the car and stood up with only a few
minor scratches. The driver was frantically apologizing, admitting he
had been on his phone at the intersection. Joey and I walked our
bikes home that night.

Two
years ago, because of a lack of space, my friend Caleb was sitting on
the floor of a car when it diverted and flipped off the road. Without
a seatbelt, he ended up paralyzed for months from the waist down.
Only recently has he gotten to the point of being able to stand up
after months of physical therapy.

Just
last November, I picked up my phone to read a text saying that my
cousin had been involved in a hit-and-run in California. With her
legs broken from the impact, she had been pulled from the fiery wreck
by a couple who happened to be driving by on the desolate road. I can
still feel the heartbreak that overcame me while reading her
statement to the police.

I
am not the only one with experiences like these. It is difficult to
encounter someone who can’t say that they themselves or friends and
family have been involved in an accident. Irresponsible driving
affects all of us.

Drivers ed is essential in reducing the number of deaths as a
result of driving. A national class that not only teaches students of
age how to drive but educates them on prevalent dangers and necessary
precautions would have an impact on safety on the road. A study from
The Journal Accident Analysis and Prevention followed more
than 150,000 teenagers over eight years and found that Driver’s
Education significantly reduces crashes and traffic violations among
new drivers. Teenagers who had not completed their Driver’s
Education course were 24% more likely to be involved in a fatal
accident. Having educated drivers must be the minimum standard to
allow them on the road.

Even though people are generally aware of the steps to reduce the
risk of accidents, the daily ritual of driving clouds the threat of
danger. Thinking about the following steps while driving is essential
to road safety. It is important to be solely concentrating on
driving. To ensure you keep your eyes on the road and focus on the
task at hand. The car is not the place for multitasking, and keeping
your cell phone out of reach is a good idea. Following the speed
limits is another essential step as driving too fast increases your
risk of an accident. What if a child were to run in front of your car
and you were driving too fast? What if another driver isn’t paying
attention and runs a stop sign? It is important to be going the speed
limit in order to react on time.

Being in the driver’s seat is a huge responsibility. You are not only
accountable for yourself but for everyone in the car with you, and
everyone on the road. Ensure everyone in the car is wearing their
seatbelt. Make sure you are always paying attention to everyone
around you. When you exercise safe driving skills, you are doing so
much to prevent yourself and others from being involved in accidents.
Irresponsible driving truly affects us all, but it doesn’t have to.