Choices

The
importance of driving education is to inform all drivers, especially
young drivers, the dangers that are associated with operating a motor
vehicle. The number of deaths as a result of driving are high because
many young drivers don’t fully comprehend the consequences that
could result from reckless driving.

The
steps that could be taken to reduce the number of deaths related to
driving is to first, have every state analyse what bad driving habits
have had the most impact on the number of motor vehicle accidents and
deaths. With that information, members of the state could primarily
focus on one problem at a time, whether it’s driving under the
influence, texting and driving, speeding, or other bad driving
habits. I believe driving under the influence requires more
attention, therefore driving education classes should include a
public speaker who is a victim of someone who drove under the
influence. It certainly caught my attention.

I
have experienced two car accidents that could have resulted in death.
The first incident I had occurred a couple months after receiving my
driver’s license. I was on my way home from school after soccer
practice, which had taken a little longer than usual. My concerned
mother sent me a text asking where I was. Not fully comprehending
that I was operating a heavy killer vehicle, I grabbed my phone and
tried to text her back (I didn’t get past the third word). The
vehicle in front of me had stopped at a red light and before
realizing it, I crashed into it. Spending all my savings on a new
vehicle and attending driver’s improvement helped me to fully
understand the dangers behind texting and driving. The most
horrifying experience was when I crashed into a light pole because I
was under the influence of alcohol. Thankfully, I survived and
crashed into a pole rather than a vehicle. Like most teenagers, I
thought that could never happen to me. What helped me the most was
attending a Victim Impact Panel for Intoxicated Drivers. One of the
speakers told us his story of how he became paralized after a drunk
driver had struck him on his motorcycle. He said, “… next time
you want to drink and drive, imagine me on the hood of your car…”.
Never will I forget his words.

Becoming
a better driver means maintaining a complete focus on the road. To
enforce this, I could make a music playlist to avoid skipping through
songs. I’ve seen many of my friends take hold of their phones for
that same purpose, therefore I’d use my free time to make them a
playlist. Bringing more awareness to services that assist those that
are unable to drive late at night due to the effects of drugs could
save lives. If I would’ve known that the day I decided to drive
home intoxicated, I would have made a wiser choice.