Name: Megan Beck
From: Columbia City, Indiana
Votes: 0
“Do you want to
leave with me now?”
“No. I want to
stay here until she is able to come home.”
This was a
conversation I had with my mom the night that my sister got into a
car accident on her way home from work. We were waiting in the
hospital for her to be discharged, and it was past midnight on a
school night. My mom was going home because she had to be up for work
in the morning, but I refused to leave my sister’s side until she
was discharged so my dad could drive her home.
My sister was coming
home, and she took the long way home, because she really enjoyed
driving. Fast. She was driving far over the speed limit, and a car
was approaching from the other direction, and she swerved to avoid
it. She overcompensated, and ended up rolling off the road into the
field next to the road. She got out of the car and walked to the
neighbors house and they called 911 for her. We were all in bed when
we got a call from her. We all rushed to the hospital. Thankfully,
the worst of her injuries were some scrapes on her head, and some
bruises on her legs. I remember telling my parents in the hospital
while we were waiting for her; “I don’t want to drive.”
This was the third
accident she had been in, and I was in the car with her for the
fourth.
She never took
drivers ed. She learned how to drive from my parents, and
it turns out, they weren’t the best at teaching her how to drive,
even though they are both safe drivers. They aren’t trained to
teach people how to drive. I have taken drivers ed and I am
comfortable on the road. I can’t say the same for my sister. She,
to this day, avoids driving if she can. Drivers ed is an
important tool when learning how to drive. It teaches you what you
need to be aware of, and what you need to keep your eye out for, and
makes you think about those worst case scenarios so you are prepared
in case something like that happens. Drivers ed
accomplishes simply what’s in the name: it educates drivers. It
teaches you to be a safe, careful driver.
When it comes to
helping myself and others be safer drivers, I believe that it all
comes down to stopping yourself from being distracted, and helping
your friends and family do the same. Remind them to put their phone
down. If their phone goes off, offer to read and answer the message
for them, so they aren’t distracted while behind the wheel. Be
aware of the things they’re doing (and not doing) while driving. I
remind my parents to use a turn signal when they forget to. You just
need to be aware of what’s happening whenever you’re in a car
whether you’re driving or not.
