Name: Shayma Akhtar
From: Hamtramck, Michigan
Votes: 0
Reinforcing
the American Dream
As
one of the youngest in my family, I had the privilege of witnessing
the excitement of my older siblings, cousins, and recent immigrant
family members as they strolled out of the DMV with their new license
in hand. It was a big milestone and considered a step towards the
American dream. However, these precious moments, unfortunately, come
at a price for some. Just as I lived through their excitement, I also
am living through some of their pains.
In
February of 2018, my cousin received his license so that he can
attend his classes at Wayne State. His love and passion for helping
people motivated him to work at a clinic where he could get
experience in the medical field. However, in December, on his way to
work one day, a car was switching lanes from the left and collided
into my cousin’s car, leaving him with severe injuries to his left
arm and leg. After the police completed a full investigation, it was
noted that the driver was distracted by sending text messages and
hadn’t even realized his car was shifting to the left at such a
high speed. Because of this horrific accident, my cousin is now
unable to drive.
Now
that I am in the process of obtaining a driver’s license as well, I
can’t help but think back to my cousin’s incident and the many
more that occur daily. Therefore, in my process, I have immersed
myself in the importance and conversation surrounding driver’s
education which I have become a big advocate for.
According
to Motor Vehicle Safety, “Each day in the United States,
approximately 9 people are killed and more than 1,000 injured in
crashes that are reported to involve a distracted driver.” That day
during December, my cousin was one of the thousands and many others.
Luckily, there are multiple and various actions a person can take to
be safer on the roads and/or prevent accidents.
The
first is to always
be aware of your surroundings.
If I notice a driver recklessly by constantly or abnormally switching
lanes or going above the posted speed, I immediately increase my
following distance or avoid being near that car. Being alert to these
situations beforehand gives me the upper hand. There was one time
where I was driving with my dad and I was making my way towards an
intersection when I noticed a car was about to make an unprotected
right turn even though I had the right-of-the way. I became aware
that this driver was going to make that turn regardless of knowing
that there were oncoming cars, so I slowed down and let him go. This
is another example of always being aware. You never know the exact
motive(s) of the other driver(s), so take extra percussion and be
proactive!
Another
action you have control over is to limit
your distractions.
The accident with my cousin could have been avoided if the distracted
driver avoided texting while driving. Even if you keep your eyes away
from the road for a second to send a quick message it can put you and
other drivers in danger. “Any glance away from the road for two
seconds or longer can increase the risk of an accident from four to
24 times,” said Dr. David Hurwitz from Oregon State University.
That is why when I drive, I put my phone on “do not disturb”. If
changing the radio or answering texts/calls seems to be the problem,
have your electronics be voice-activated, or have someone else in the
passenger seat do that for you. This could be applied to other
distractions as well such as eating, drinking, talking on the phone,
smoking, etc.
Lastly,
obey
all traffic laws.
I know this seems obvious; however, they are often overlooked. Such
examples include speeding, running the red light, and not utilizing
the turn signals. I can recall a moment on a two-way road, a driver
was making a right turn without his turn signals on and I didn’t
notice at first so I continued going straight but then I noticed the
driver stopped so I immediately decreased my speed and let the driver
go. That driver took a risk and if I didn’t notice the driving was
making a turn, then there could’ve been a fatal accident. That
moment taught me to always not only use turn signals but to also
follow all traffic regulations. Traffic laws are executed for a
reason. They ensure the safety of drivers and pedestrians. Don’t
gamble lives. Be very cautious because even if you think no harm will
be done, lives are still in your hands.
Overall,
the tiniest change in your driving habits can make a world of a
difference and save numerous lives including yours. It’s
astonishing how education around safe driving is so critical yet many
people forget to practice what is taught during driving school. As I
continue to advocate for those who have lost their lives, those who
will continue to be affected, and those of us who can help alleviate
these issues, I remind us all to take precautions and be proactive
every step of the way while on the road. Remember there are three
types of distracted drivers: visual (those who take their eyes off
the road), manual (those who take their hands off the steering
wheel), and cognitive (those who take their minds off driving).
Driving is a privilege. Don’t abuse it. Let’s not be distracted
drivers but rather defensive drivers. So, let’s go out there, make
safety our priority, save some lives, and make a difference!
Citations
“Distracted
Driving.” Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention,
Centers for Disease Control
and
Prevention, 16 Sept. 2019,
https://www.cdc.gov/motorvehiclesafety/distracted_driving/index.html
“‘Distracted
Driving’ at an All-Time High; New Approaches Needed.” Life
at OSU,
Oregon
State
University, 5 Oct. 2017,
https://today.oregonstate.edu/archives/2015/mar/“distracted-driving”-all-time
high-new-approaches-needed.
