Nearly getting hit at an intersection by a driver who showed no signs of slowing down and seeing my dad show road rage for the first time were two different experiences related to potential car accidents and irresponsible driving.
To explain the first experience I mentioned, I remember that I was slowing down and coming to a stop at an intersection’s red light. I had my signal that I was going to take a right as soon as I stopped because it’s legal in California and there was a gathering I was late to. Not only was I late, but I was also upset with my parents who were in the car with me, so I was tense behind the wheel. As I was about to take my right, my parents yelled that I didn’t look over my shoulder toward my left. As I did in a panic, I saw a driver going the maximum speed limit down the road. The driver had the right of way, so it was my responsibility to wait. Unfortunately, I ended up pressing the gas pedal instead of the brake pedal out of panic and I went farther into the road. I fumbled my foot all over the pedals until I got a hold of myself and slammed on the brake. Though it was my fault, I was shocked to see that the car whizzed past us with the same speed it was going even though it had enough time to slow down, meaning I would have gotten hit if I had gotten in the way due to the driver’s lack of care and my lack of control. However, there is always room for improvement.
To be a better and safer driver, I should focus on keeping a cool head and attentiveness. My parents have always called any car that is being driven a moving “bomb,” so it would help everyone on the road if none of those “bombs” was erratic. I can definitely practice being patient, even if it takes more time than I would like, but also be attentive of other people around me so they don’t end up getting erratic towards slow behavior. Exaggerating my attentiveness would better help me remember movements instead of being quick and keeping every significant movement in a blur.
The steps I put on myself are the same steps I would recommend for anybody else. Drivers should make sure that if they are late, they don’t try to speed as it can affect other drivers and can result in higher chances of car crashes. They should always check the speed limit and be attentive to the signs on the road, as they are not there for decoration. If they are upset or tense, they should not be behind the wheel in the first place if it’s possible, as I’ve seen my own dad go from 0 to 100 within seconds due to a driver simply cutting him off. He had swerved through lanes to pull down his window and yell at the other driver, which could’ve ended terribly if he had lost control, another car got in the way, or even if the driver who made him upset was a dangerous person. Many people have been killed due to road rage and many of those people have been killed intentionally. Even if the driver doesn’t intend to do such things, another driver may. If they have no other choice but to drive with anger, they should focus on self-control. This can help whenever a driver is panicked, but if this is applied every day, this can prevent drunk driving from happening. Being drunk can sway emotions, mental, and physical ability, causing irresponsible driving and increasing the risk of a car crash by at least 10
No matter how you slice it, none of these warnings really help if the driver doesn’t have a good driver’s education. If the driver doesn’t know where to turn on their blinker, they may confuse other drivers. If they don’t know that they can turn right at a red light in California, they may anger other drivers. If they don’t know how the gear stick works with the pedals, they will not even drive. These are all examples of having a driver’s education, as one can help you understand the terminology, rules of the road, and basic workings of a car. Without a driver’s education, how will a driver know that they are supposed to wait for a parked school bus that has the red lights on or who has the right of way? There are many things to be learnt, as I was surprised that there was information not commonly talked about. When more people have driver’s education, they not only learn the basics of how to drive, but they also learn the rules that drive everyone else. My parents always said that I’m not only driving my car but other people’s as well.
A level head, self-control, attentiveness, and getting a grip on emotions can be taught anywhere, but a driver’s education is exclusive to the road and should be prioritized. When we combine both of these, we will have much safer roads.