Creating Sustainable and Safe Driving Habits

Isabelle Breese

11-19-2019

Scholarship Essay

Driving

Creating Sustainable and Safe Driving Habits

Driving safely is a conversation that is not often brought up outside of the Drivers Ed classroom. However, driving is a practice that the majority of adults participate in. Casualties from this activity run rampant in America, yet we remain silent. It’s time to bring this discussion to the forefront of our minds. The first way to do this is to increase the importance of learning Drivers Ed thoroughly.
So many of us have sat through the class, studied for the test, got our license, and forgot most everything we learned. This is contributing to the rising death toll brought on by unsafe driving. Making sure that people are well-educated when it comes to matters of the road must be a priority if we are going to continue to protect our population. The more people retain from Drivers Ed, the safer they will be, both to themselves and to others. We have the ability to impact the safety of those around us—we must emphasize a more rigorous standard of drivers ed. Only then will the roads become safer.

One of the biggest causes of death when it comes to driving is driving under some kind of influence. Whether that influence be alcohol, drugs, sleep loss, or general distractedness, it’s affecting the number of casualties strongly. A very practical way we can step up and make sure that we are all driving safely and with full consciousness of mind is to plan ahead. If you are going to be up late the night before and anticipate being tired in the morning, plan on calling an uber or carpooling with a friend. If you are going out drinking or hanging out with a friend who you know does drugs—make a plan. Set a designated driver who you trust to remain sober and take care of making sure everyone gets home safely. Have a backup plan in place in case that friend caves and doesn’t remain sober. If you notice that there’s a lot on your mind and you aren’t focusing very well, either take a couple minutes and focus up, or find a different ride. The most important thing is to have some sort of alternative way to drive to wherever you need to go in the event that you ever find yourself unable to.

I have been in the car with friends who drove very irresponsibly. Speeding, taking corners very quickly, swerving, etc. It was quite terrifying to be in an environment that had the potential to both hurt me very badly and hurt someone else in the same way. Not only would I no longer get in a car with any friend that made me feel so uncomfortable and unsafe, I would encourage others not to as well.

The best way I can make sure I’m driving safely always is to know my own limits and have a backup plan in place if I ever reach those limits. Re-educating myself about rules of the road and safe driving techniques is equally as important. I can also encourage my friends to do the same and let them know if I feel uncomfortable or unsafe driving around them. Above all, it’s important to remember the impact that you can have on others if you aren’t careful. The thought of taking someone else’s life or permanently injuring them in some way is a sobering reality. This reality is one that should always be remembered and understood before stepping foot in a car.