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
driver’s license in hand. It is considered a big milestone for my
family— a step towards fulfilling 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 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 driver was switching lanes from the left and collided
his car into my cousin’s, leaving my cousin 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 again.
Now
that I am in the process of obtaining a driver’s license myself, I
cannot help but think back to my cousin’s accident and the
thousands 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 the research from 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 only among thousands of other
victims of distracted driving. Hence, a person can and should take
steps to practice safe driving to prevent accidents.
The
first is to always be aware of your surroundings. If I notice a
driver recklessly by 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 allows me to have
more control. 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 motives of the other drivers, so take
extra precautions 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. One
way to avoid bring tempted to text is putting your phone on the “do
not disturb” mode. If changing the radio or answering texts and
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. Although obvious, they are often overlooked.
Such examples include speeding, running a 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 also to follow all traffic regulations. Traffic laws are executed
for a reason: to 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 could very well become harmed due to your actions.
Overall,
the tiniest change in your driving habits can make a significant
difference and impact 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. Let’s not be
distracted drivers but rather defensive drivers. The ones who are
always aware of their surroundings, limit their distractions and obey
traffic laws. So, let’s go out there, make safety our priority, 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.
