When We Drive

Makayla
Ouellet

When
We Drive

Do
we really understand the power we have when we drive? Do we really
know how many people we can hurt by answering a text or call when we
drive? What about when we decide to drive impaired? I got my license
in July of 2019 and I can say that before I started driving myself, I
never understood how reckless driving can affect so many people.

I found on nsc.org that an
estimated thirty-eight thousand eight hundred (38 800) people in the
US lost their lives due to car accidents in 2019. While the number
may have diminished significantly, that is still almost forty
thousand people who have lost their lives and almost forty thousand
families who have lost someone dear to them. The average family has
3-4 members in it, not including distant family. Imagine one person
in that family dies due to a car accident: 2-3 close family members
have now lost someone dear to them; add grandparents, aunts, uncles,
and cousins- that is now at least 10 people who have lost someone
dear to them. The average person also has 6-9 close friends, now
that’s 19 people effected; now assuming they have other less close
friends and teachers or co-workers they are friends with that could
now be close to 40 or more people mourning over the loss of this
person. All because someone wasn’t paying attention while behind
the wheel. Why does it have to be like this?

There are seven common causes to
car accidents as of 2018: distracted driving, impaired driving,
speeding, reckless driving, driving in bad weather, not stopping at
red lights, and driving during nighttime. Every single one of these
can be solved with knowledge and awareness. If you need to contact
someone wait till you get to your destination or pull over if it’s
that urgent; new cars might even have a function to call or text
someone hands free. All in car distractions can either wait till you
get to your destination or be solved by pulling over first before
taking your eyes off the road. People who drive impaired are those
who don’t understand or don’t care about how their irresponsible
actions effect others. The only thing we can do, is help them
understand that they have other options and that they don’t need to
be driving; they can all a friend, a cab, an uber or maybe just stay
the night to avoid driving. As for being prepared ahead of time you
can give your keys to a designated friend or leave your car at home
and cab to where you need to be. If you plan ahead you can avoid the
chance of getting in an accident. In drivers ed they teach you
step by step how to drive properly and help you understand how to be
safe while behind the wheel; taking drivers ed and following
what you were taught can stop reckless driving, speeding and help you
drive safely in bad weather to stop you from being the reason 40
people are mourning.

The first and only time I was
ever in a car accident was when I was approximately three years old.
Winter was almost over but the roads were still covered in black ice,
the sun was shinning, and the snow was so reflective it was blinding.
I was in the backseat with my brother who is for years older than me
and I had begun dozing off in my car seat. I woke up to yelling,
panic and the feeling of shock from being rushed awake from my deep
sleep. Being a toddler just woken up from my peaceful sleep had begun
to cry violently in the back seat; a woman I didn’t recognize
released me from my prison of a car seat and I began looking for my
father. I don’t remember when I stopped crying, but it seemed we
had been in a small accident; my father had hit a patch of black ice
and swerved into the fence of a nearby house. The car could no longer
move, and we had to be picked up by another family member. Thankfully
no one was seriously injured; because my dad knew how to keep us safe
when he drives.

We were lucky ones, due to my
dad’s quick thinking all we had to deal with was a broken car and a
distraught toddler, but not everyone is that lucky. I make sure that
when I’m driving I am as aware as I can be to protect myself and
everyone around me; whether that means slowing down in bad road
conditions or maybe just staying home when I don’t need to be out,
I will do whatever I can to be sure I am as safe as I can be. Without
my drivers’ education lessons, I think I’d still be scared to get
behind the wheel but now I am confident in my driving and believe
that I can keep myself and those around me safe while I drive. I hope
one day we can bring the 38 800 deaths down to 0, so that no one must
mourn the loss of a loved one due to someone else’s mistakes. Do
you understand the power you hold when you drive?