“I worry so much about the future, but I don’t even know if I’m going to be here tomorrow. So just take it one day at a time.”
Imagine this scenario: Every morning, a person drives to work, dropping off their children at school on the way. When their shift is done, they’ll drive to meet up with some friends before picking up their children. This routine is consistent, as they’ve been following it for years. Their oldest child has dreams of attending a prestigious school, and has been working every step to get there. However, as the family is driving home, a car from another intersection swerves in and crashes them. The family is dead in an instant and the child never gets to achieve their dream. They never got to say a final goodbye to their relatives or friends. Their lives ended on such a sudden note.
Cars are arguably the primary mainstays of our lives, yet one of the leading causes of premature death. Driving schools have helped millions of people attain their licenses annually, yet over half of Americans suffer from driving anxiety, and 96 percent admit to reckless driving. Now consider how many potential car accidents could happen anytime. Anyone’s lives could be taken away abruptly, with them never achieving their dreams or saying their final goodbyes. If it doesn’t seem momentous, imagine if it were your sibling, parents, closest friend or partner. Losing someone to a reckless accident is an excruciating experience. It’s even more excruciating knowing it all could’ve been prevented. Driving schools need to push students towards becoming more conscientious drivers. Paying sharp attention to traffic lights, speed limits and signals can prevent countless accidents and complicated grief. Using the domino effect, excelling in driving school prevents a chain of repercussions.
Besides excelling in driving school and being vigilant, there are additional ways to reduce vehicular deaths. Installing more highway patrol will ensure all vehicles are driving within the speed limit. If highway patrols aren’t able to be there physically, highways can use virtual patrols. Another way to reduce vehicular deaths is enacting more restrictions on auto racing. Oftentimes, auto racers refuse to remain within race tracks. When they swerve off race tracks and onto civil roads, that’s when accidents happen. There should be high chargers and even prosecution to discipline reckless auto racers. Finally, driving under influence is a leading factor for vehicular accidents. Drivers need to understand the importance of not driving when under influence. Although DUI classes help drivers recover their licenses, it cannot recover lost lives.
Part of the taxes used for DMVs and driving schools ought to be used to distribute free breathalyzers. With free and accessible breathalyzers, unsure drivers can use them to see if they’re suited to drive. Breathalyzers only take a couple of minutes, but it can prevent permanent mistakes for a lifetime.
This past summer, my father drove me to a friend’s house. The address was inaccurate on the GPS and he wasn’t sure where to drive. Infuriated I didn’t research her address before we left, he drove off course and nearly crashed into a car. I remember the sounds of screeching tires and predicting that I was going to die that very moment. Fortunately, we located my friend’s address and I got there safely. However, I can’t forget the fear and adrenaline rush I felt that day. It took me weeks to recover from this experience. All I could think about was how tragic my biography was going to be, dying young and never achieving anything beforehand.
I currently have my permit and plan to get my license sometime next year. As much as I’m reluctant to drive, I know I have to in order to become independent and not rely on anyone for transportation. Growing up, I’ve always struggled with concentration. This is a major reason I don’t trust myself to drive. I have a terrible habit of mind wandering and it sometimes leads to outbursts. The last thing I want to have while driving is an outburst and crash. I know it’s going to be a while until I get my license, but I’ve been practicing remaining calm under pressure. If I encounter some sort of conflict while driving, I hope I’ll be able to handle it. Becoming a fully committed driver will be a long journey, but I know it’ll be worth it. Being a focused driver is difficult, but I know it will be rewarding and beneficial to those around me.