Better
Now than Later

My
first time behind the wheel was when I was 16 years old. I remember
the rush of excitement as I sat in front in the driver's seat, ready
to start a new chapter in my life. For me, as well as many other
teenagers learning to drive for the first time, I saw driving as a
rite of passage; a significant milestone in my life. As I was about
to turn into my school parking lot, my dad turned to me and said,
“Ciyanna, before you start I just want to tell you this. Remember
that you are driving a weapon, and every decision you make from this
point forward has the ability to make or break your life and the
lives of others”. Great words of encouragement, right?! Regardless,
it gave me something to reflect on. How many people truly think about
how dangerous a car can be? This is why drivers ed is extremely
important. The more people are educated on the practice of safe
driving, the more lives that are being saved every day. According to
the Association for Safe International Travel, about 1.3 million
people die from crash-related causes, which averages about 3,287
deaths every day! 

There
are many different ways that the number of deaths and injuries
related to car accidents can decrease. Taking driving related classes
are a must when it comes to learning about proper safety methods and
accident prevention. Another important facet comes with the new
technological advances that have been occurring. Every time I drive,
my phone enables Do Not Disturb While Driving. This allows my
notifications to not come through my phone whenever I drive in order
to prevent distraction. This is extremely important; statistics show
that texting and driving is the leading cause of car related
accidents.

I
have been very fortunate in that I haven’t been in a car accident,
however I have witnessed them. As I was driving home from school, I
saw a girl who was turning at an intersection while texting on her
phone. A guy who had the right of way kept going straight and the
girl ended up hitting the guy’s car. Fortunately, nobody was hurt
but there was a lot of damage to both cars. This could have been
prevented if the girl had looked up from her phone and paid attention
to the road. 

There
are a lot of ways I can become a better driver and help others to the
same. I can avoid using my phone while I’m driving and instruct
others to do the same. I can also lower the volume of my music to
prevent it from becoming a distraction. I can also make sure that I
know and review the rules of the road so that whenever I’m driving,
I have the ability to make the most informed decisions. By retaining
this knowledge and passing it on, hopefully I will be able to save a
life, even if it is just my own.