Driving is one of the largest responsibilities you will take on in life. From the age of 15 until the day you die, driving is a part of your life. Becoming educated on this subject when you are just a rookie is essential to avoiding tragedy. Without the steps toward being a licensed driver, driving would be the most deathly activity on earth as nobody would know where to go, which side of the road to drive on, or how to read road signs. At the start of the process, many kids fail their permit test, learning only the questions and not from their mistakes. Drivers’ ed helps clean this up by preparing kids for their permit test. Although this is a great idea, the plan for the permit to drive times is not so thought out. When kids acquire their permit, they are thrown onto the road like newborn turtles, having to figure it out mostly themselves. This is a gray area where an instructor or driving school could jump in and ease kids into the new environment. Having the extra step between receiving your permit and drive times would increase comfortability on the roads for new permit recipients. This latest step or level of education in the driver’s license process provides a smooth transition onto the road.
While most drivers are patient and understanding on the road, there are some who are always in a rush. These people with road rage are the main causes of deaths in driving. When in areas of high traffic and transportation, these people are hazards to drivers around them. One mistake could lead to not only the enraged driver getting in an accident but also harming others around them. One small mistake can turn catastrophic, especially on the road. Making sure you are calm and relaxed before getting behind the wheel is essential for not only your safety but others around you. Another action that would lessen deaths related to driving is lowering speed limits. Higher velocity leads to more force on impact, which means more fatal crashes. Watching your speed is a great way to improve your driving. Knowing your responsibilities and actions behind the wheel can influence others to follow your lead and make the roads safer for everyone.
I have only had my license for a year now and have already been in some close situations. When my friends and I were traveling to an Orioles game on the highway, it started to rain. We were also unaware of a slowdown ahead, making it a quick stop for our car and the cars in front of us. The rain caused the cars in front of us to hydroplane, hitting each other. The pressure I felt being behind the wheel at this moment was immense. All I could hear were my friends screaming at me to stop the car, but I couldn’t. We started to hydroplane, coasting uncontrollably before finally catching dry pavement and gaining control. In this moment, I learned it’s never the time in which you get there, it’s the precautions you take on your journey to ensure the safety of yourself and others.
After having my license for around three months, I was pulled over for speeding and given a ticket. While I complained that it was my first time getting pulled over and I wasn’t given a warning, I was traveling 22 miles an hour over the speed limit. My friends and I were on our way to a birthday party, and before the policewoman turned on her lights, we all knew I was caught. Looking back on this, I could see how little it mattered to get to the birthday party quickly. It was never worth the risk, and it was a pretty embarrassing moment letting my dad know over the phone when my friends were listening. Having to pay for that ticket was also something that I never wanted to feel again, now taking my time to wherever I am driving to.
Ensuring you are safe on the road is the most important thing to recognize when driving. Since cars are one of the most dangerous forms of transportation, making sure you protect yourself and others is essential. Some things I have done to improve my safety, and usually my brother’s safety, is adjusting my mirrors before putting the car into drive. I also make sure we leave for school at a reasonable time so we don’t have to rush. This also makes it so I am less stressed and more patient behind the wheel, making me stay calm and make safer decisions on the road. Overall, taking time to be in the right head space and not rushing has lessened my parent’s worry and improved my confidence on the road.