Dangers of Driving

As an Ohio resident it was mandatory for me to take a course of driver education to be able to get my license. I had completed an in depth course on everything to know; from what to do when crossing train tracks to what each and every sign on the road means. I had to have fifty hours of driving time with a parent before I could take the driving part of the course. I had four, two hour long drives where we would practice merging on the highway, proper lane merging, and being able to maneuverability through cones without knocking into it. With the extensive steps to go through to get my license, it helped me better understand the rules of the roads and how to drive properly and safely. The steps that each community can take to protect their roads from accidents and deaths from driving could be through; enhancing the requirements of driver education in each state, enforcing older drivers to retake driving tests and vision tests in more states, and by encouraging people to stay off their phones. I feel that the driving education helped me tremendously with driving better compared to friends I have that have not taken it. In some states taking driver’s education lowers your insurance but I think it should be a mandatory requirement to complete for everyone before they operate an automobile that take people's lives everyday. A lot of accidents happen with teens being irresponsible but also many accidents happen to elders that can’t see properly or can’t hear well. In the circumstances in driving, listening for emergency vehicles and being able to see when others are merging around you are important. To reduce deaths each state should require everyone over a certain age to retake a test every couple years. That way as the elders get older they will be able to determine when they shouldn’t be on the road anymore. Texting while driving is one of the top ways of deaths in an automobile. Several people around the community that text and drive then later result in consequences. I have seen many videos/commercials that promote putting the phone down while behind the wheel. If only everyone actually listened and realized the effect of being on the phone for a slight second. No one truly changes unless they have an accident or death real close to them. It’s not right to do and anything on the phone can wait but no one is thinking that, they think let me send this real quick text. No amount of commercials, ads, or bill boards is not going to truly influence everyone to stay off their phones without meaning behind it. I have had a best friend die over this past summer to a car accident and it made me realize how careful I really need to be. I also experienced an accident first hand my junior year in highschool. I was driving to school and it was 6:30 in the morning. It was a wet spring morning when I was going down a hill. I decided to reach in the back seat behind me to grab my water and I crashed. I hit one guard rail popping my front tire rolling over and hitting the opposite guard rail popping the other front tire. None of the airbags went off so then when I tried to look for my phone I couldn’t find it because I was so overwhelmed. Thankfully some guy was driving up the road and I was waiting for him and he lended me his phone. I was not hurt at all but my car was totaled. I was without a car and it was all my fault. I could not believe I crashed and I didn’t want to drive for a few weeks after that. It was the scariest thing that’s ever happened to me and I was so mad I caused it. When I did start driving again I did not get on my phone, kept both hands on the wheel, and did not do one thing wrong. I still think about the accident occasionally when I'm driving and it reminds me to drive safely. It could have ended way worse and I’m thankful everyday for my life. So now when i’m driving it reminds me nothing is more important than my life and everything can wait. A way I can be a safer driver is by making sure I give myself plenty of time to get to my destination and while doing so paying attention to the road with no distractions. A way I can help others is to encourage others to drive with caution and remind them of the consequences. I wish everyone would understand the importance of driving properly and there needs to be less automotive deaths.