When kids are young, all they want to do is be exactly like their parents. They want to cook, vacuum, wear makeup, go to work, and even drive.
I don’t blame them. Owning a drivers’ license is a huge step into independence and responsibility. When they are given the chance, they want to jump at the first opportunity to prove themselves and impress others with their perceived maturity.
There is a fallacy in this line of thinking, sadly. See, meanwhile, in all of the excitement behind the rev of an engine and the ticking of a blinker, is the common appearance of what we like to call an accident. Human error is inevitable, but there are countless ways to prevent the most irreversible and fatal mistakes on the road. Sometimes it is easy to get so caught up in the eagerness to jump into the driver seat, that safe, defensive driving skills and a regard for the law fly straight out the window. This can include the importance of not driving drowsy, because a long road trip can become tedious, making the eyelids heavy and taint our alertness.
The most important step to prevent fatal car crashes is for the driver to do a self assessment as they sit in front of the steering wheel: Am I tired? Am I sick or using medication that will affect my driving abilities? Do I have my emotions under control (i.e. road rage)? Am I under the influence of drugs or alcohol? These questions are important because driving should be approached with a level and clear head, careful not to be distracted or unalert. The next thing the driver can do to stay safe is to double check that their phone is in driving mode, so they will not be tempted to use it. For permit drivers, it is crucial that they follow rules regarding their permit, such as only driving family members, having a licensed parent/guardian in the passenger seat, and reaching the required number of driving hours before taking the driver’s test.
I know that these are important for a few reasons. To start, on an 11 hour road trip we took to Los Angeles back in 2021, I took over my dad’s driving shift because he was falling asleep at the wheel, causing us to sway away from the lines on the road. This reminded me of the cruciality of staying alert at the wheel, and gave me another reason to pay attention to the road even when I am not the one in the driver seat. During the summer, I was in a small car accident, caused by a moment of distraction. I let my attention shift for a moment, and before I knew it, I bumped into the car in front of me, going 10 mph. This was an extremely small accident compared to the one my grandpa was in several years ago, caused by road rage. Another car ran him off the road, where his car rolled three times. My grandpa came out of the wreckage with parts of the left side of his body paralyzed. If the other driver had done a simple self assessment prior to starting his engine, my grandpa may not have a completely useless left arm. Another grandpa of mine was killed by a drunk driver in 2008, and my aunt had to grow up without a father.
To this day, I watch as friends of mine pile more people into a car than its limit, having some sit on others’ laps or even tossing a kid in the trunk. This tendency to drive irresponsibly contributes to the devastating 34,000 deaths each year. This number could be smaller, if only everyone was aware of the dangers we face when we start the engine and enter traffic. If only everybody was aware of the countless ways that exist to prevent death and pain, to avoid collision, to keep a clear head.
I, as a young driver myself, have so many opportunities to put an end to reckless and/or irresponsible driving that I see in other young drivers around me. This can include advising that we take multiple cars when going places, instead of cramming six people into a five seater, and using Life360 to hold my friends accountable when they speed or use their phones. I can also hold myself accountable by using Do Not Disturb on my phone so that I will not be tempted to text while driving, or making sure that I am awake and alert enough to be a safe driver. I can be a helpful passenger by sending messages for my mom on her phone when she is driving, so she doesn’t get distracted while trying to multitask texting and keeping her eyes on the road.
All in all, there are so many small and simple ways to correct our own driving faults and aid the ones around us who are also struggling to keep their attention solely on driving. Then maybe we can contribute to making 34,000 so much smaller.
I don’t blame them. Owning a drivers’ license is a huge step into independence and responsibility. When they are given the chance, they want to jump at the first opportunity to prove themselves and impress others with their perceived maturity.
There is a fallacy in this line of thinking, sadly. See, meanwhile, in all of the excitement behind the rev of an engine and the ticking of a blinker, is the common appearance of what we like to call an accident. Human error is inevitable, but there are countless ways to prevent the most irreversible and fatal mistakes on the road. Sometimes it is easy to get so caught up in the eagerness to jump into the driver seat, that safe, defensive driving skills and a regard for the law fly straight out the window. This can include the importance of not driving drowsy, because a long road trip can become tedious, making the eyelids heavy and taint our alertness.
The most important step to prevent fatal car crashes is for the driver to do a self assessment as they sit in front of the steering wheel: Am I tired? Am I sick or using medication that will affect my driving abilities? Do I have my emotions under control (i.e. road rage)? Am I under the influence of drugs or alcohol? These questions are important because driving should be approached with a level and clear head, careful not to be distracted or unalert. The next thing the driver can do to stay safe is to double check that their phone is in driving mode, so they will not be tempted to use it. For permit drivers, it is crucial that they follow rules regarding their permit, such as only driving family members, having a licensed parent/guardian in the passenger seat, and reaching the required number of driving hours before taking the driver’s test.
I know that these are important for a few reasons. To start, on an 11 hour road trip we took to Los Angeles back in 2021, I took over my dad’s driving shift because he was falling asleep at the wheel, causing us to sway away from the lines on the road. This reminded me of the cruciality of staying alert at the wheel, and gave me another reason to pay attention to the road even when I am not the one in the driver seat. During the summer, I was in a small car accident, caused by a moment of distraction. I let my attention shift for a moment, and before I knew it, I bumped into the car in front of me, going 10 mph. This was an extremely small accident compared to the one my grandpa was in several years ago, caused by road rage. Another car ran him off the road, where his car rolled three times. My grandpa came out of the wreckage with parts of the left side of his body paralyzed. If the other driver had done a simple self assessment prior to starting his engine, my grandpa may not have a completely useless left arm. Another grandpa of mine was killed by a drunk driver in 2008, and my aunt had to grow up without a father.
To this day, I watch as friends of mine pile more people into a car than its limit, having some sit on others’ laps or even tossing a kid in the trunk. This tendency to drive irresponsibly contributes to the devastating 34,000 deaths each year. This number could be smaller, if only everyone was aware of the dangers we face when we start the engine and enter traffic. If only everybody was aware of the countless ways that exist to prevent death and pain, to avoid collision, to keep a clear head.
I, as a young driver myself, have so many opportunities to put an end to reckless and/or irresponsible driving that I see in other young drivers around me. This can include advising that we take multiple cars when going places, instead of cramming six people into a five seater, and using Life360 to hold my friends accountable when they speed or use their phones. I can also hold myself accountable by using Do Not Disturb on my phone so that I will not be tempted to text while driving, or making sure that I am awake and alert enough to be a safe driver. I can be a helpful passenger by sending messages for my mom on her phone when she is driving, so she doesn’t get distracted while trying to multitask texting and keeping her eyes on the road.
All in all, there are so many small and simple ways to correct our own driving faults and aid the ones around us who are also struggling to keep their attention solely on driving. Then maybe we can contribute to making 34,000 so much smaller.
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