Name: Mikayla Kelly
From: Plainfield, Il
Votes: 0
Lasting
Choices
By:
Mikayla Kelly
I couldn’t drive at the
time, but I was so excited to drive my 1997 gold Toyota Camry that my
dad had bought me as my first car. I still had a year until I got my
driving permit, so my parents would drive the car around town or when
their car was in the shop. One day, my mom and I were on our way back
from my tennis lessons. We were stopped at a stop sign, waiting to
turn left. Before we knew it, we were hit on the driver’s side in
the front and scraped down the whole side of the car. The other car
had taken a wide turn and hit us. It became very apparent that the
other driver was heavily drunk when my mom attempted to exchange
information with her. I was shocked and shaking as I called 911. I
couldn’t believe it; my first car would be totaled, and I wasn’t
even able to drive it. I am still so thankful, however, that the
drunk driver wasn’t driving faster, and the only damage was on the
cars. In this situation, I had no control since the other driver
chose to drive drunk. I was torn apart that someone else’s poor
choices could make an impact on others. Looking back on the
situation, I’m glad the accident happened to me. Yes, I was furious
that my first car was totaled, but it was an important lesson for me.
It taught me that making smart choices while driving is a crucial way
to reduce accidents and deaths. Distracted and impaired driving
happens everyday whether it’s acknowledged or not. Being distracted
reduces reaction time; moreover, studies show that looking down at a
phone for a moment while driving causes your eyes to be off the road
for at least 30 seconds if not more. In 30 seconds, a kid could run
out in front of you, a stoplight could change, traffic could suddenly
stop, or a car could cut you off. Now, cars have Bluetooth which
allows navigation, texts, and more to be through the car. This still
isn’t the best alternative to eliminating distracted driving since
handsfree Bluetooth still distracts your mind. The most important
thing is to be aware, focused, and engaged in driving. The text
message, the phone call, the alcohol, and the drugs can wait. One
poor choice affects everyone on the road at the time and could affect
their loved ones. Don’t risk your life or the lives around you for
one stimulation burst from your phone, alcohol, or drugs. Make smart
choices while driving to come back home and see your loved ones and
pets. Choices are made in a second but could have a lasting effect.
