Name: Danielle Booth
From: Sudbury, Massachusetts
Votes: 0
I
woke up looking at the snow coming down in circles. My seat was laid
back so I could take a nap for the six-hour trip to Maine. My mother
was driving, and I was in the passenger seat. I jolted awake when the
tire lost traction. My mother hit the brake, trying to get out the
way of an eighteen wheeler’s blind spot, but due to the roads being
in a bad condition, she had lost control of the car. The car had hit
the guardrail, then spun into the eighteen-wheeler. My mother and I
were very lucky. I only had a sprained ankle, my mother with a mild
concussion. The car on the other hand, was totaled. The front bumper
fell off, part of the passenger side and the engine had smoke coming
out. The accident didn’t last for than 2 minutes, but it could’ve
changed our lives. The accident did have long lasted effects, my
mother and I got nervous going past by trucks on the road and others
driving skills. I didn’t want to get my license; I had my permit
already and finished my driving lessons a couple months before the
accident. Once my mother could save up her money for a new car, she
had finally convinced me to practice driving. While driving no more
than twenty minutes, my hands gripped on the wheel, my heart racing,
I had to pull over. I fell into a panic. What may seem simple and not
a big deal to others, was a big deal to my mother and me.
An
article by Brian Beltz states that roughly, around 1.3 million people
a year die in car accidents world-wide and an average of 3,287 deaths
a day caused by car accidents. Those statistics should have people
see the importance of drivers education. There are many factors that
contribute to operating a vehicle. What may seem obvious to some may
not be to others. Everyone should take the steps to prevent accidents
and risks on the road. By wearing your seatbelt, avoid any
drugs/alcohol, stay off your phone behind the wheel, learn the
operations in your car (blinkers, headlights, windshield wipers,
etc…), keep a calm mindset and avoid aggressive drivers.
Drivers
education is crucial for learning how to be safe on the road and what
to do if you end up getting in an accident. It shouldn’t only be
allowed for starting drivers under the age of 18. While some may have
control on the road, some others do not have the knowledge that’s
crucial for being a safe driver on the road. Drivers ed
teaches you the rules of the road, when you are about to approach a
windy road, whether you can take a right on the red light or not, no
U-turns. Drivers ed gives you the knowledge you should know
before practicing behind the wheel.
