Small changes can go a long way

Jayne-Marie
Miller

Small
changes can go a long way

I feel like driver ed is very essential for young drivers to have
before they get behind the wheel. By knowing the rules of the road
teens are more likely to know and handle any situation that arises
while they are driving. In my experience, having taken driver ed in
high school I felt better equipped to hit the road as soon as I got
my license. I am very aware of my surroundings and I know what to do
to prevent accidents from happening.

There are many
things that can be done to reduce the number of driving related
deaths. One big one is not texting and driving. As a teenager texting
and being on our phones is something that we do all day every day,
and for some teens that includes while driving. Texting and driving
is one of the main causes of car crashes. By staying off the phone
and keeping our eyes focused on the road, we can prevent accidents
from happening.

I have
experienced both being involved in a car accident and losing a friend
in a car accident. Once I was on the way to the mall with my friends
and the driver didn’t look both ways before pulling out and she
ended up hitting the car in front of her. Even though the accident
wasn’t major, and everybody was okay I was still pretty shaken up
from the incident for a couple weeks after. Then a couple months
later, one of my co-workers pasted away from a car accident. She was
driving down the highway and was texting and she served into the
other line and ran into a truck head on. After I found that out I
vowed never to text while I am driving.

One step I can
take to ensure safe driving, is to brush up on driver ed
occasionally. Over time I might forget some information and it’s
always good to look over the drivers ed manual a couple of times a
year to keep yourself updated. I can help my friends and family
become safer on the road by encouraging them to stay off their phone
and by keeping distractions to a minimum .