Name: Arianna Martinez
From: Buda, TX
Votes: 0
I
remember being about nine or ten years old, always wondering what it
would be like to drive. The places I would go, and the things I would
do and the music that I would totally blast in the car with the
windows down. When you’re younger, you get excited thinking of all
the things you’ll finally be able to do once you’re of age, but
no one mentions the dangers that come with this new found freedom.
The smallest decision that you make in that very second, can change
your life just like that.
When
I enrolled in my first driver’s course, I was probably one of the
most excited 16 year olds out there. It was finally happening, I had
been counting down the years, months, and the days that I would
finally be taught how to drive myself. I considered it to be one of
the very first milestones I passed starting my transition into being
my own person and doing things for myself.
I
guess you could say I was so excited that when my driver’s course
would go on and on about safety and what to do in certain situations
like, what to do when you hydroplane, or when the wheel locks up, it
went in one ear and out the other. I remember saying to myself in my
head all the time, “It’s never going to happen to me so why
listen? I can just look it up later when I need it right?” Boy, was
I so wrong.
You
never know when it’s going to happen, but when it does, you’ll
remember it like the back of your very own hand. The song that was
playing, the smell, and the way your heart just drops. It’s feels
so slow motion you almost feel like you could’ve done something.
Driver’s safety is one of, if not the most important key to
driving. Although driving can come with so much excitement, and
freedom, it can also cost you and others their lives in seconds. On
the day of my very first car accident, I remember it like it was
yesterday. I had a great day. I spent all day at the river with my
friends, we got food and smoothies. It was getting to be about 3:30
in the afternoon, and I went home and I showered. I had work at 5, so
I was a little bummed about having to leave but I was still in a good
mood. I got in the car, my music was playing, and my windows were
down. I’m sitting at this intersection and the light turns green.
As I’m going in to take my left turn I see this truck coming
towards my way, I think, the light’s green, he’s going to stop.
He didn’t stop. My car was T-boned on the right back side, and my
car spun 360 degrees and a wheel had popped off. I blanked out and
when it was finally too late, realized I was supposed to yield. It
was one of the worst feelings getting hit by another car and I
wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy.
I
can’t stress the importance of actually listening to what you are
being told in driver’s safety. Too many new and even some older
drivers don’t know what to do in situations like those. Anybody can
get into an accident anywhere, anytime, no matter who you are. You
are not invincible or replaceable. Each year about 34,000 people die
from driving. That is more people than the total number of people who
have died in Iraq and Afghanistan combined. We as a society need to
come together to bring so much more awareness to this problem. We
also as a society need to take a step back and look at what we’re
doing as individuals to prevent this massive number of deaths. I
believe that one problem a lot of people don’t really bring to
light, is that people really just need to be more patient. Too
many accidents are caused from impatient drivers with road rage.
Impatient drivers may cause accidents by driving too fast, or too
close to the car in front of them. Other factors that may cause
deaths from driving include, speeding, distracted driving, and even
driving under the influence of alcohol, and or other drugs. It’s
important to understand that many of these deaths or injuries can be
avoided. We need to do a better job of paying attention to the road,
and making the right decisions, because not just your life is at
risk. When you make the conscious decision to make poor judgements,
you’re endangering the life of every single human life around you.
I’m
doing my part by making sure I keep my phone on do not disturb, and
I’m keeping my eyes on the road at all times and just simply
following the rules of the road. We may not always like the rules in
place, but we have to understand it’s for our safety. At the end of
the day, everyone’s life matters, and no one wants to get that call
that your mother, daughter, sister or brother’s life was taken,
because of one decision.
