Do
It for Them

The
blaring noise of the car’s horn drowns out all other sounds as a
driver pushes their sweaty palms into the center of their steering
wheel, watching as a pick-up truck rushes through a red light. As the
truck barrels into the sedan, the sound of the horn is replaced with
a high-pitched ringing. The impact jars both drivers; both physically
and mentally. According to the Association for Safe International
Road Travel, about 1.35 million people die in car crashes each year.
Countless lives lost every single day due to heedless drivers; not
only are the victims of the accidents affected, but their friends and
family members are also burdened with such tragedies. The safety and
education of our drivers are extremely critical in preventing
vehicle-related injuries and deaths. Before entering the road,
everyone must be informed of the laws and regulations; they are put
in place to protect us. It is also vital that we promote defensive
driving in order to reduce distractions like using your cell phone
while driving or driving under the influence. With illnesses, natural
disasters, etc. affecting our population, we can’t afford to lose
more innocent lives over something we have the power to control.

In
order to reduce the number of deaths happening on our roads, we must
make sure that our future generations who wish to drive are enrolled
in drivers ed where they are properly taught the rules of the
road. Not only should we be teaching verbally, but through personal
experience by getting behind the wheel with a professional, as well
as stressing the risks of reckless driving through visuals. As scary
as the reality of car accidents can be, showing students the truth of
what something like texting and driving can do will help this
information resonate with them. Texts can wait, but lives cannot.
Advertising the importance of not driving under the influence among
new drivers is also very important; as parties are frequent among the
younger generations. It doesn’t matter if you feel “completely
aware”; no one with alcohol in their system should be driving. Call
a friend, a service like Uber, or even your parents to prevent
putting yourself or others in a dangerous situation.

As
someone who has had a sister who has gotten into a bad car crash
before, I know the fear of losing a loved one all too well. As my
sister and her friend were driving through an intersection, a car who
was supposed to begin slowing down upon the sight of a yellow light
instead decided to keep going full speed. They drove directly into
the side my sister was sitting on. Hearing that someone I loved very
dearly had just gotten into a car accident was one of the most
terrifying moments of my life; having to see her laying down in a
neck brace, waiting for the cat scan results was extremely
frightening. Luckily, she didn’t have any major injuries; however,
there are many families out there whom I know of who have
unfortunately lost loved ones at the hands of reckless drivers. There
are people who would be completely devastated if something were to
happen to you, or to the drivers around you; please remember to
practice and enforce safe driving practices. Do it for them.