
Name: Cooper Gilbertt
From: issaquah, Washington
Votes: 0
It’s
not just the Driver’s Life When the Car is Turned on
Written
by Cooper Gilbert
The
stories on the news are always the same, drunk driver kills family,
or just a simple text message to the distracted driver ends an
innocent person’s life. They all come from people not knowing what
can easily turn one’s life around in a split second. This can be
solved with drivers ed to experience behind the wheel.
Drivers
education is something already that teens take in order to get their
license; the way they get teens to not text and drive or perform
unsafe driving habits is by scaring them. They do this by showing
pictures of car wrecks, and driver’s stories of what has happened,
to that of stories of families who have lost loved ones. The question
then is how do we keep current drivers to be as safe as possible? Is
scaring them the same way do it? The answer is it’s on a
person-by-person basis, and if the goal is for everyone to be a safe
driver that can be a daunting goal.
What
steps can be taken to prevent this? One simple way that everyone can
take part in is calling one another out on it. If you are a passenger
in the car while someone else is driving, if they check their phone,
call them out on it. If you think they aren’t capable to be in the
driver’s seat, call them out on it before they get behind the
wheel. Explaining to a friend or family member while they are making
a poor decision, forces them to take a pause and reflect upon the
responsibility of their actions. It gives the passenger a chance to
remind them about those news stories, and know that it’s not just
their life in their hands. Furthermore, if multiple people are in the
vehicle offer to help keep the driver from temptations of
distractions by taking their phone and play games for them, or be in
charge of the music that is playing in the car, or even engage in
simple conversations. Another way is for news networks to produce
more stories that promote the consequences of not driving sober or
distraction-free so that teens in drivers ed classes aren’t
the only ones to be reminded of these important lessons.
I
have been lucky enough to have never been in an accident, but I have
been in a vehicle with a distracted friend. This is not an optimal
situation. Although it’s fun driving with friends and jokes and
laughter can be shared, on the other hand, young drivers need to be
aware of their capabilities, and learn to know the correct time to
concentrate on the road. This is something teens need to be aware of
when being a passenger with friends that are new drivers.
Further
steps that can be taken when in the driver seat is turning your phone
on silent or setting it on do not disturb. This will turn off
notifications to one’s phone and have the phone distraction-free.
Another setting on phones is driving mode; preventing the opening of
certain apps and turning off notifications. If the driver’s eyes
are tired, not in the right mindset, whether depressed or angered; or
even under the influence, it is not the time to drive or get behind
the wheel. It is important for a driver to remember that the best way
to keep from being in a news story is to reduce distractions and
prevent friends from them too.