Driving. My parents always said that driving and getting your license was the biggest first step towards freedom I’d take as a teenager. I remember sitting behind the wheel of a turned off car as a child- pretending that I was driving down the road. Even though my legs were too short to reach the pedals, they still longed to drive. To get out. To be free and grown up.

This was before I learned how dangerous driving could be. At the age of 8, I was sitting at the dinner table. My mom was on the phone arguing with my brother- this wasn’t an abnormal sight to see on a nightly basis. They were fighting about my brother wanting to spend the night with his best friend, and my mother said she had a gut feeling that he needed to be home now. Eventually, she won (as she always does) and he made his way back home. He was angry and stomped his feet up the stairs and to his room. In the morning, I came downstairs and the air was tense. It made the hairs stick up on my arms, and I felt anxious walking into our dining room. There, my dad sat with his head down. He tried to pretend he was okay, but the facade was quickly wiped off his face once he received a phone call. At the same time, my brother walked into the house after walking around the neighborhood.

This is when my brother found out his best friend had been killed in a car accident by his drunk parents behind the wheel. The car my brother would’ve been in had it not been for my mom’s gut feeling. The fatal, stupid, and deadly decision his best friend’s parents made would impact my brother and our family for the rest of our lives. My brother was never the same after that, and he learned what it felt like to mourn the loss of your best friend at the age of 12 years old.

This is why it is so important for drivers to be properly educated on safe driving and the very real risks that come with it. It’s important for both young and old drivers to be informed on the dangers of driving, and why it’s so important to follow traffic laws. Before getting behind the wheel, drivers need to be reminded that this car isn’t just a fun place for music and getting places quickly. It’s not just a form of freedom. It’s something that can be incredibly dangerous and can end a life. According to DMVEdu, “an average of 34,000 people die each year as a result of driving.” His best friend was one of those 34,000 people. But it wasn’t just one. Part of my brother died that day too, and so many people around him were impacted as well. To put that number into perspective, DMVEdu also states that, “This is more people who have died in one year as a result of driving, than the total number of American soldiers who have died from war in Iraq and Afghanistan combined.” This essentially means that driving is more dangerous than combat war. Drivers need to understand this, and not underestimate the seriousness of taking yourself and your children out on the road.

So, what can we do? Well, we can share our stories. We can share the stories of our loved ones who have passed, or how our loved ones have been impacted by reckless driving. We can sit down and talk to our teenagers about how important it is to recognize how much power comes with being behind the wheel- and how to drive defensively. We can inform our youth on what to do if someone you love is driving in a way that may be dangerous or scary, and remind them that they don’t need to get in the car if they’re scared.

At age 17, I got my first speeding ticket. Afterwards, I was forced to sit through a lecture that was mandated from the state on the dangers of speeding and reckless driving. Initially, I went in with a closed mind and kept telling myself that they’re being dramatic and I was just running late so I was in a hurry. But their lesson actually stuck with me. I found myself shocked while they educated me on how dangerous driving can be, traffic laws that I hadn’t taken seriously, and a mother stood at the front and told me about her son’s car accident.

Sitting through this lecture brought back memories about my brother finding out his best friend had been killed in a car accident. It reminded me that being trusted to get behind the wheel is such a privilege, and how dangerous my actions were. I couldn’t help but sit there and think about what could’ve happened if a car pulled out infront of me and I didn’t have time to stop- what if I accidentally killed another little boy's best friend? A mother or a son? I don’t know how I could live with myself if someone else had been seriously injured due to my reckless and impatient actions. It doesn’t matter how late you are, how angry you are, or how stressed you are- that car has someone’s baby in it. That car has someone’s best friend in it. That car is not just an object, it’s a vessel that contains a life that is loved by the people around them. Being on time to class or looking cool to your friends is not worth risking the lives of other drivers and your own

In conclusion, one main thing that I do in order to be a better driver is to remind myself of their story. I remind myself that our lives are more important than me being late to class. I also take a breath before I start my car, and check in to make sure that I am physically okay and in a mindset that I know I can defensively drive in. Most importantly, I make sure I’m wearing my glasses and actively paying attention to my speed. I believe every driver needs to be frequently reminded of the dangers of driving and how important it is to drive safely. Drivers should have to go through routine safety training every five years in order to be reminded of how important it is to be safe on the road. Because one hour of inconvenience is worth more than a lifetime lost.