The White Cross

The
White Cross

It
was 10 pm, and my family was returning home. Turning onto our street,
we could see bright flashing lights from multiple emergency
vehicles.  We stopped at the roadblock and an officer came up to
our car. “I can’t let you through. There’s been a fatal
accident.” As we silently walked to our house, we saw the shattered
glass all over the road and the mangled Hyundai that was so crushed
we couldn’t even determine what model it was. I later found out
that there were several teenagers in the car, most from my high
school, and one from our neighboring school. The boy who died was a
son, a teammate, and a friend to those in our community.  The
driver was put into a medically induced coma. Speeding and reckless
driving were the suspected causes of this accident. This was a scene
I’ll never forget. There’s a white cross on the side of the
road, helping us ALL to never forget. 

Driver
education is the first step in the effort to reduce deaths due to
driving. While Drivers Ed is required, most students spend the
class time sneaking their homework under their desk or watching
Disney Plus. This is unfortunate because if students really paid
attention, the number of driving related deaths could be reduced. As
part of this course, future drivers are educated on the consequences
of unsafe driving.  I found those statistics and stories a
powerful reminder of the responsibility we all share behind the
wheel. One idea I’ve been wondering about is, what if car
insurance companies offered an incentive such as a reduction in dues,
for every teenage driver who attended a monthly safety seminar?
Monthly safety seminars could help keep those consequences fresh in
our minds, perhaps motivating teenage drivers to drive more safely.  

I’ve
had the benefit of a “co-pilot” for most of my driving career. 
My 15-year-old sister is my “copilot”, and she helps me out by
being an extra pair of eyes looking for deer crossing the road at
dawn/dusk, and other hazards that I might miss. I also feel an extra
sense of accountability as I want to set a good example for her. 
She can vouch that I always silence my phone and turn it upside down
on the middle console so it’s not a distraction. 

I’ve
been driving for 5 months now.  I love the freedom and
independence, and I take very seriously my responsibility to drive
safely. I leave with plenty of time, so I’m not tempted to speed, I
don’t use air pods while driving, and I obey the new driver
restrictions. My mom says her heart skips a beat every time I take
off down the driveway and when I pull back in.  I’m trying to
do my part to put her mind at ease as well as to make DMV roads safer
than battlegrounds in the Middle East!