Drive!

Racing
down the highway in the middle of summer, the words ringing through
your ears while the warm breeze whips your hair around. Is that your
first vision when you imagine getting your license? Cause it was
mine. “Freedom!” Once I held that piece of plastic with my photo
on it, I felt that I had reached adulthood. No one could stop me now.
I believe that we all hold that behavior when we achieve the ultimate
status of “legal driver.” With that being said, we are not born
with the intelligence and responsibility it takes to get behind that
wheel. I remember at a young age that it was just a simple procedure.
You maneuver the wheel and apply some pressure to a pedal, definitely
sounds easy. And that is how the accidents begin.

Driver
Education is one of the most important classes that I took in high
school. Sure, math and science are necessary for future careers, but
driving is something that every single student will partake in for
the rest of their lives. Drivers ed teaches you the
etiquette of the road, as well as rules that you may or may not have
known before gaining control of a vehicle. The class gives you hands-
on experiences, especially with other student drivers. Education is
the key tool in preventing vehicular deaths. I believe that Driver’s
Ed should be a requirement for all students, whether it be done
within a school or on their own time. I do not think that a five hour
course holds the same information needed. People need to be
responsible and patient when they drive, it is not a contest.

When
I was ten my dad had just picked my brother and me up from school.
The weather was horrendous. In our small town we have a hill where a
lot of accidents take place and little did we know we were next in
line for a crash. An elderly lady driving a small Cadillac pulled out
in front of my dad’s 3500 diesel truck, causing a collision. The
truck had T-boned the small car then caused us to spin into someone’s
yard. It all happened so fast that I did not feel my cheek slam off
of the passenger seat. My brother had chronic whiplash as I gained a
hefty bruise on my right cheek. That split second was beyond
terrifying. After that accident my perception of driving changed
drastically. I became overly cautious, yelling at my dad whenever he
picked up his phone to make a call or change the music. It impacts
your life.

When
I drive, I hook my music up through bluetooth, but put my phone on
driving mode. That way I do not get a notification unless it is from
my parents. My phone will automatically send a text saying “I’ll
text back when I am done driving.” Simple but effective. Education
and experience are the key tools to being a well and safe driver.