Think Before you Drive

At
the age of 15½ in Nevada you can take your written driving test that
allows you to begin the journey of driving on the road. Once you have
your permit you must complete drivers ed. Taking driver’s
education gives teenagers the instruction and lessons necessary to
learn the rules of driving the proper way. In drivers ed
you learn how to operate a car in a safe way in order to avoid
accidents that could injure yourself or others. This helps the
community by reducing accidents due to inexperience, but also
promotes the practice of safe driving.

Today
cell phones and social media have a huge presence in our daily lives.
Though cell phones are a great tool for communication and getting us
information, it’s a huge distraction. Teens today are heavily
influenced by social media. Falling victim to texting and driving,
scrolling through their feed, and even posting pictures of themselves
driving. Stated by Edgar and Synder Associates “Nearly 390,000
injuries occur each year from accidents caused by texting while
driving.” Fortunately the cause of these deaths are able to be
decreased with proper education and awareness. There are many steps
you can take to ensure the safety of yourself and others. First and
foremost if your phone has an application you can turn on when you’re
driving to block all notifications you should install it. Taking this
proactive approach, will keep you from wondering who texted, posted,
or called. Second, you should be putting your cell phone somewhere
out of your reach, this way all your attention is on driving. Also,
in case of emergency if you must answer a telephone call, be sure to
have bluetooth in your car, this will allow you to keep your eyes on
the road. WIth these steps we can lower the number of deaths due to
distracted driving and cell phone use.

My
mother used to text and drive all the time. She thought with her
experience as a driver she could handle multitasking. Unfortunately
while exiting the highway trying to get home, my mother crashed into
the car in front of her. While the two cars pulled over, my mother
began to worry. She realized that it really isn’t safe to be on your
cell phone, no matter how long you have been driving. Once she got
all her information and was about to get out of the car, she realized
it was my step-father who she crashed into! My mother got lucky
that day, because for one she could’ve gotten into a really bad
accident and two she could’ve killed herself or someone else. Even
though my step-father and my mother did not get seriously injured,
she learned that even an experienced driver can be distracted by
using their cell phone and can hurt themselves or others. It was a
perfect life lesson for me and my sister to learn without having the
tragedy of someone getting seriously hurt or being killed in a car
accident. It is important to be alert and aware of your surroundings
to minimize needless accidents caused by irresponsible behaviour
behind the wheel.

In
order to be a better and safer driver I limit distractions; I put the
cell phone away and I don’t turn the music up super loud. Also, I
pick routes to my destination which I know will limit the stress of
getting lost when driving. Another way to be a responsible driver
is to know the rules of the road. Knowing what signs and hand
signals mean can help everyone be safe while driving. I highly
recommend taking a drivers ed class, especially one in person.
These courses teach you how to operate your vehicle by preparing you
for the unexpected, and gives you the driving rules necessary to be a
safe and responsible driver. Cell phone addiction is very real in
today’s society. In the Psych Guide article it states that “67% of
smartphone owners have admitted to checking their phone for calls or
messages when their phone didn’t vibrate or ring.”
Therefore
we must take the proper precautions to safe driving, and taking
drivers ed sets the foundation for that. .