I have had a handful of experiences that involved my friends driving irresponsibly, and one fateful evening in particular that led to my father having to pay for most of the damages. I had given into peer pressure, putting my trust into friends that had either just got a driving permit, or didn’t have a license at all. That day, I had a friend that was behind the wheel, despite the fact that not only did he not have a license, but he was barely experienced enough to even drive safely. We were driving through the suburbs when there was a trash bin that was dangling between the road and the sidewalk. Neither of us was paying attention, and he collided into the trash can. We then pulled over off the road and I looked on the front of the car to see a huge dent on my hood and my mirror hanging by a thread. We decided to have me drive everyone home. I didn’t tell my dad about what happened, and it wasn’t until he had to go to work later that he found out for himself. As a result, I lost my driving privileges for the rest of the school year, and my dad had to pay for the damages. I walked away punished but unscathed, and I dread to think about what could have happen had things gone worse.
To drive safely is to drive not only for yourself, but for every other driver on the road. Each year, more than 32,000 people are killed from car accidents across the United States. Consequently, the curriculum for driver education gets more important by the minute. The standards required by these courses give the recipients the practices necessary to ensure comfort, integrity, and the well-being of every person on the roads.
This is done by first equipping novices with the fundamentals of road safety: keeping your eyes on the road, knowing how to maneuver around in your vehicle, and most importantly being aware of your surroundings at all times. By giving the inexperienced a grasp on the consequences of reckless driving, they substantially decrease the number of accidents on the road by a large percentage. It is vital that the programs are as coherent as possible to give the future drivers an understanding on what is to be expected on the road, as well as the proper steps needed to defend themselves in a situation when needed.
One way driving-related deaths can be reduced is by raising awareness of mental health related accidents in these programs. It is a proven fact that most car accidents occur because of inattentiveness and sluggish reactions, but we must also take a look at cases that involve road rage and the likes. It should be stressed more frequently how crucial it is to be mentally prepared to drive. Encouraging students to educate themselves on their state of mind could have a considerable impact on the amount of deaths every year. An additional step that could be taken is to help people understand that if they see something to say something. The majority of car wrecks are preventable, so whether it is a friend or a family member behind the wheel, you must speak up if you can see how their method of driving will lead to a catastrophe (something I wish I did in my situation).
One of the steps I plan to take to be a better driver is to first be sure that I slept well. Having to wake up early so I could go to school at 7 in the morning has seriously affected my sleep schedule, leading to drowsy driving on some days. There were times that I almost caused a terrible accident because I was more sleep deprived than I was well-rested, proving drowsy driving could be equivalent to drunk driving. By focusing on improving my sleep schedule, I can also improve on ensuring the safety of other people as well as myself on the road. An additional strategy I can use is to minimize distractions as much as possible while traveling. I will do this by putting my phone out of reach, preferably in the back seat, looking out for inattentive drivers, and keeping my radio volume at a level that wouldn’t throw me off.
In conclusion, by being informed on how to drive for the safety and regard of other people that are traveling, you reduce the hazards that exist in driving and make the driving experience easier for everyone. Encouraging new drivers to do the same could be a challenge, but its ultimately better to learn before you make a costly mistake like the one I made–or worse.