Name: Elajah T. Ricard
From: Loranger, Louisiana
Votes: 0
Elajah
Ricard
Question:
Have you ever had an experience of being in a car accident or have
you seen your friends or family members driving irresponsibly?
Growing
up it has not always been a worry for me getting to my destination
with my family. Yes, I was an eye-witness of them drinking and
driving, noy paying attention and always on their phones. This was
normal for me. As look back I was never taught to wear a seatbelt
when in a vehicle and it’s scary to think about because I never
knew that every time I got into a vehicle I was risking my life.
Recent studies show that over 25% of kids under 16 don’t wear
seatbelts. The topic that I have chosen is not as simple as an
experience, it was a way of living for me. Getting older, I think
everyone can say that this has become a developing problem for the
youth of our generation
The
typical way of me in a car with my family was the complete opposite
of the correct way of driving. It was exciting riding on the armrest
or on the floor. It was also exciting driving while on my moms lap.
What if we ran off the road, or had a collision, or even got pulled
over? With the decisions we make i guess we don’t think about the
bad in them. As long as our world prevails, I feel that it is
vitally important to drive responsibly and practice safe strategies
while on the road.
About
2 months ago I was very close to being a victim of a collision. As
we were living my aunts house, my mom was very drunk. I thought
nothing of it because this was very typical of her. As we were going
down a highway a left turn was coming up. As we approached the
intersection, my mom did not stop and a car way flying towards us.
My mom slammed on the gas as my heart started thumping. I screamed
in horror and tears started to fall. I was so frightened but I
couldn’t do anything but cry.
Since
I have grown up, I really don’t have to play a part in what I went
through as a child. I can now drive myself but that doesn’t mean
that I don’t have to see my family driving irresponsibly and
breaking laws. Now that I have a voice, of course I can tell them
right and wrong, but that does not mean that they have to listen. We
are all entitled to our ways of living but mine is the right way
knowing all of the times that I could have lost my life. Driving
responsibly is such a big thing and I am glad that now I can pin
point almost every responsibility that comes with it.
Overall,
it was such a substandard experience having to be in a vehicle under
the dreadful events. As a young adult, I see this is an extremely
sad situation being a defenseless child. In the future I hope that
this will not be as big of a problem as it is nowadays. Primarily, I
feel like it is such a miracle of me being here to share my
experience. Thank you for giving me the opportunity.
