Before the Engine Starts

Your destination can wait. A life lost can never be replaced. Every time you get behind the wheel, you're not only holding the steering wheel; you're holding the responsibility for your own life as well as the lives of others. The reality is that while you may be driving responsibly, you can never be certain that others are. Every driver believes they'll make it home safely, yet one person's distraction, impatience, or reckless choice can change lives in an instant. nats why safe driving isn't just a personal responsibility; it's a shared one. Every action behind the wheel has consequences.

This is why driver's education is very important. Unlike many subjects learned in school, driving is a skill that most people will use every day for the rest of their lives. The habits formed during a driver's education course often become the habits they carry into adulthood. Instead of learning through dangerous mistakes, students have the opportunity to practice recognizing risks and making good decisions in a controlled environment. These lessons help students develop safer driving habits. Every well trained driver contributes to a safer experience for themselves and the drivers around them. A strong driver's education program can prevent dangerous habits from forming and prepare drivers to make safer decisions throughout their lives.

Growing up in a busy, high-traffic place like New York City, I saw firsthand how people can adapt to living in an area with constant traffic while still making safe driving decisions. My room window overlooked a road, and I rarely saw people on their phones, shouting at each other, speeding, or creating unnecessary problems by driving recklessly. A lesson can be learned from this. In order to reduce the number of driving deaths, it's important to look at the root causes and work our way up. Reducing driving-related deaths requires more than telling drivers to be careful; it requires preparation, education, and systems that help drivers make safer decisions. Preparation is key before entering the road. As phones become an essential part of almost every aspect of daily life, the importance of teaching drivers to put them aside has never been greater.

Although I have personally never been in a serious car accident, being a student in my school's EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) program has given me a different perspective on driving-related injuries and deaths. One of the more crucial things we were taught about was the impact of car accidents and the severity of the injuries they can cause. As a class, we sat through many presentations about different types of collisions, injuries, treatments, and how to handle these situations. The photos showcasing these accidents were so severe that it was difficult to recognize what we were looking at. We didn't sit through these presentations to suffer, but to understand the challenges that EMTs and paramedics deal with on a daily basis and the seriousness of the situations they respond to. Just to put it into perspective, New York experiences around 1,200-1,300 traffic deaths per year, and EMS crews respond to the aftermath of multiple fatal crashes everyday, according to the New York Department of Health. Every number represents more than just a statistic, it represents a person, a family, a community, and a school affected by a decision made on the road.

To me, a great driver is someone who is always attentive and has strong decision making skills.

Those are two of many skills that I'll make sure to improve when I begin my driver's education

and continue developing even after I receive my license. For me, being attentive means always being prepared for the unexpected, even in situations that may seem predictable. It also means doing my part to create a safer environment while remaining aware that other drivers may not always make the best choices. Making the right decisions does not only apply when I am physically on the road. Oftentimes, the choices that determine whether a drive is safe are made before even leaving the house. If weather conditions are dangerous, it might be better to stay home. If I am upset after an argument, it may be better to wait until I am in a better state of mind. It's the small decisions that make all the difference during moments when it can be tempting to do whatever you want. It's important to see good driving examples and later become the example that someone else can look up to when understanding the importance of safe driving. Choosing to drive safely shows respect for myself, my passengers, and everyone else on the road, and that respect should always remain mutual.