Anticipating the Crash

Sitting on my couch one day, I was sending messages over Snapchat to my friends. I received a cute selfie of my best friend, Anna in the driver’s seat. She likes to sit in her car parked in her driveway after dance class, so I didn’t think much of it at first. However, a few minutes after my response, another picture arrived, and the scenery outside her window had changed. It clicked in my mind that my best friend was driving while sending casual selfies. We weren’t talking about something urgent, and frankly, nothing is urgent enough to justify being on a phone while on the road. While texting, reaction time is doubled and so is the risk. If Anna died because of our meaningless conversation I wouldn’t know how to live with myself. At that moment, I immediately stopped responding.  

Phone use isn’t the only factor in unsafe driving. Distracted, impaired, or frustrated drivers are also dangerous. Driver’s education emphasizes these risks. I remember sitting in a stuffy classroom being horrified by different car accidents. It’s seared into my memory. I recall this whenever I’m on the road tempted to make a reckless decision.

People should have to retake a small driver’s training course every four years when their license is renewed. This would ensure that the spoken and unspoken rules are retaught so everyone can drive safer. This would reduce the amount of accidents and deaths. Within 7 days, people forget 90% of the information learned without spaced repetition. Yet, some drivers have been on the road for over 60 years with no additional evaluation. It is senseless that after the age of 16 drivers have no review of basic rules of the road. This systematic gap is shown statistically as well. Drivers over 75 years old have the highest overall traffic death rate per capita. It is nearly double the average. This is due to their slowed reaction time and physical fragility. 

My own grandma is a victim of this. She is 78 and is unable to drive in the dark. Honestly, I believe that she should not be allowed to drive at all because she drifts into other lanes and has no sense of the speed she is going. Her excuse for not fixing her driving habits is that she’s never been in a car accident. If my grandma is a dangerous driver then I know many other people in her age demographic are also not safe to be on the roads. Increased driver’s education throughout the lifetime would aid in increasing older people’s driving capabilities. 

The main takeaway that I have from my experience in driver’s training is the importance of being a defensive driver. Unfortunately, my parents are perfect examples of what not to do. My dad claims he drives defensively, but I have interpreted his driving closer to road rage. If a car in front of him is going under the speed limit, he tailgates them aggressively.. I’ve heard more curse words when he’s in the driver’s seat than the rest of his life combined. My dad is a hostile driver and likes to rule the road in his huge truck. This can be unsafe for the other drivers and intimidate them into making risky decisions. 

On the other hand, my mom is too timid of a driver and this causes the people around her to get angry and hazardous. Her driving can be characterized by second guessing split second decisions, improper use of turn signals, and going obnoxiously under the speed limit. If she were more confident, my mom would be a spectacular defensive driver. 

A defensive driver is someone who has a plan for every situation that can go wrong. They are aware of their surroundings and know how to minimize damage. For example, if a car crossed the median, a defensive driver would have the knowledge to land safely in a grassy area and not run into a power line. This type of driving takes lots of practice to finesse. If mastered, defensive driving will account for less deaths due to car accidents. It is less fun than being on a phone, but it contributes to the safety of many people. 

Ultimately, most deaths from driving can be minimized and it’s up to each individual to do their part. Passengers who cannot yet drive can send a text for the driver or change the radio. Drivers can get enough sleep and never operate a vehicle under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Older populations can honestly assess when it’s time to hand over the keys. Driver's education classes can continue to emphasize the necessity of defensive driving. Every day, I will persist to stay attentive and plan for the worst possible situation. My eyes will remain scanning the road, never looking down at a screen. I will also continue to gently check the dangerous habits of my friends and family—because I refuse to let anyone I love become another statistic on the road.