Jade
Duke
DMV
Edu. Essay
10
October 2019
Choosing
Awareness.
Driving
is an aspect of everyday life that many do not think twice about.
They grab their keys, rush out of the door, and do not think twice
about the fact that they are inserting themselves and their loved
ones into a situation that is more deadly than the wars in Iraq and
Afghanistan combined. And why should they? Through drivers ed,
personal experience, and precautions, society has learned the true
impact one can have when they sit behind the wheel. This awareness is
a necessity for all drivers, from teens to seniors.
Awareness
consists of mindful knowledge of a situation. Drivers ed makes
sure of this. Automobile wrecks are the leading cause of death among
teenagers in America. It is shocking that an activity that symbolizes
freedom and maturity in teens is so deadly. Drivers ed courses
promote education, and implement an effective system which increases
awareness and effectively prevents tragedy. Students learn not only
how to respond to situations, but the dangers of driving distracted.
Car wrecks are not “accidents” and should not be labeled so.
There is nothing accidental about swerving into oncoming traffic
while quickly checking a text or scrolling through social media at a
red light. Harming another person or possibly taking their life due
to ignorance is not an accident. Drivers ed programs provide
millions of drivers with the knowledge and tools to be safe, but it
is up to the individual to follow through.
It
is not surprising that nearly all Americans have some personal
connection to a car wreck. Whether it is a friend who was rear ended
on a late Saturday night, or a family member who was killed by a
drunk driver in broad daylight, these experiences help us empathize.
When we know the harm our actions can cause, we are less likely to
engage in reckless behavior. We must hold ourselves and our
associates accountable. Phone usage, eating, and loud music all
decrease one’s reaction time by nearly fifty percent. In the time
it takes to send one text at 35mph, the driver has been unaware for
the length of a football field, yet many people do not care until it
is far too late.

By
reducing the number of distractions, driving fatalities would
decrease significantly. When technology is out of sight, eyes are
always on the road. It is wise to slip phones into the console or in
a bag with the ringtone on silent, so there is no temptation when a
notification pings. Hands-free applications come standard in many new
vehicles, but this does not eliminate distractions. Education on road
safety and situational experience helps increase split-second
thinking, which is often necessary. A person should never have to
think twice when safety is on the line.
Like
nearly every American at one point or another, I am guilty of driving
distracted. However, after completing drivers ed courses and
seeing friends who have been involved in wrecks, I think twice before
checking my phone at a stoplight. The truth is that no notification
or potential distraction is worth causing a fatality. Many people
agree with this, but as I look around, there are dozens of people
looking at screens or dancing to booming music while behind the
wheel. Through awareness and accountability, this should not be a
decision that one must think twice about.