It has always been a dream of mine since I was a little boy, to drive a car. I would watch my older siblings be so excited when my parents would ask them to drive to the store or run an errand for them. Born and raised on a small island in the pacific, where our island has only one road taking you from one side of the island to the next, I thought it was pretty cool to get behind that driver’s seat and act like an adult. Little did I know that it wasn’t that easy. Although my parents taught me how to drive in our yard both manual and automatic transmission automobiles, I realized that there was more to getting behind that wheel. Instructional courses were necessary to obtain a driver’s license. I was amazed at how intense a driver’s education course really was. The importance of road signs, hand signals, safety hazards, and just being alert and attentive is so important in reducing the number of deaths because of driving. My driver’s education course consisted of not only a written exam, but a driving exam as well. I took the exam on another island where there were traffic lights and yield/caution signs and things I was not familiar with on my island. It was a great lesson to know that there are real situations in the world and that these courses prepare you for it. Although my island does not have traffic, I was still taught the same principles of safety and caution. I was taught to drive on my 40-acre land and my father would put up pretend stop signs and traffic lights just to prepare me for driving.
I consider driver’s education like a college entrance exam or even a job interview. You need to be prepared and knowledgeable about what you are about to undertake. A driver’s license puts you in a role of accountability. To reduce the number of accidents and even sadly, deaths, one must be accountable once he/she gets behind the wheel of an automobile. Steps that can be taken to prepare yourself for that role is to be sure you are 100% attentive and alert both physically and mentally. Many accidents happen because of someone not being able to control his/her emotions or become easily distracted for whatever reason. Distraction is a major cause of accidents on the road. My parents always remind me that when I am in the driver’s seat, I am responsible for everyone on the road the same time as I am. Playing loud music to the point that you can’t hear a horn or someone telling you to slow down, or looking at your phone, or arguing with someone are all distractions that can easily prevent an accident.
I recently suffered a loss of a high school classmate because of a simple distraction. He was texting and driving and was killed in a single vehicle accident. If he had just ignored the prompting to look at his phone, he would still be with us today. I have an uncle who is a first responder and has responded to many unnecessary and irresponsible accidents because someone was too distracted to pay attention to the road.
Some steps that I can take to be a better and safer driver, as well as to help others become safer on the roads is to speak up and be a voice. If I am a passenger in a car and someone becomes distracted, I will be very vocal about the safety of driving cautiously. I will set an example as a safe driver and encourage my friends and family to do the same. Another example of being a safe driver is vehicle maintenance. If your vehicle is unsafe, then both you and the car are putting others at risk.
Now that I am in college and have left my small island to venture to another state, I have witnessed very reckless drivers on the roads, and it scares me. Innocent people become victims of irresponsible driving and it not only has an affect on those drivers, but it also affects families and lifestyles.
I am happy that my driver’s education course prepared me for environmental hazards we do not have in Hawaii such as driving in ice, or railroad crossings, or other weather-related incidents.
I will continue to be a safe driver and advocate to “Be Maka’ala” which means Alert in Hawaiian.