On February 9th, when I was a sophomore in high school, my classmates and I received news that changed our whole perspective on driving. A classmate of ours was on his way to school that morning and had been hit by a drunk driver and killed instantly. He was extremely talented in school, a stunning soccer athlete, and was a genuinely kind person who had been taken away from us in a single and selfish moment. The man who had taken my classmates life had several DUI’s and a suspended license but had still managed to put himself in the position of being irresponsible behind the wheel. He now gets to live in jail with the fact that he ripped away the life of a sixteen year old boy from his friends and family and ultimately put an end to all the great things he was set to accomplish.
That day was a wakeup call that I’ll never forget. You always hear about driving accidents and the statistics of how many people die from them but you never think it’ll be you or someone you know. To reduce the number of fatalities in driving accidents, knowing the rules and laws in place is essential. Being in a sober and clear state of mind is absolutely crucial in the safety of everyone's lives while driving. Educating ourselves and others around us on the rules of driving and being able to say to someone that they are not being a responsible driver and are putting others in danger should be a more normalized thing. Implementing more programs like the “Every Fifteen Minutes” and targeting them towards high school students who are at the appropriate ages of obtaining a license could make that much more of a difference as well. As a result, we’ll be more deserving of our right to drive.
To be a better and safer driver, the biggest thing to do is be aware of our surroundings. We need to pay attention to what we are doing but watch others around us as well. We need to think about how quickly someone can die in a car accident by the smallest mistake while behind the wheel. All actions have consequences, whether it’s accidental or not. We should think about the pain of losing a son, daughter, mother, father, or friend to someone else’s poor decisions and choose not to make those mistakes. Being responsible and aware are a part of having a driver's license and it should not be taken lightly. “Safety brings first aid to the uninjured.” -F.S Hughes.