Every morning and afternoon, before and after school I send my mom the text, “On my way!” and her response each time is, “Drive safely.” We say a prayer so that I’m protected each time I place the keys in the ignition. Receiving my license at sixteen years old was a thrilling and exciting experience. I could not have achieved that milestone without passing Drivers Ed., my permit test, and Behind-the-wheel while also maintaining plenty of practice hours in residential and city areas. It’s frightening to not know what will happen when you’re on the road, but it is reassuring when you know there are educated and informed drivers out there, doing their best to keep themselves and others safe on the road.
There’s a reason permit tests, behind-the-wheel programs, and practice hour requirements exist; to determine the competence of an individual when operating machinery such as a vehicle. Understanding the simplest of directions like a red light means to fully stop the vehicle or to use your signal to indicate where you will move next is more important than anything. It’s also important to realize we all start somewhere on the journey of learning how to drive, but unfortunately carelessness on the road has become too much of an issue.
If every driver in the US could uphold the idea that if they reeducate themselves and others on being safe while driving, we can all be on the roads with a peace of mind. The bottom line is that the law is the law and it’s there for a reason. I sound like a broken record saying over and over that if we could all collectively follow the simplest of laws on the road, so many deaths could be avoided. The biggest causes of death by vehicles have to do with driving under the influence, phone usage while driving, speeding/reckless driving, drowsiness, etc.
I’ve seen several cases of drivers distracted by phone usage while on the road. Whether it be taking a quick phone call or changing the song. I don’t see how anyone could feel comfortable enough to glance, let alone physically use their phone while driving. It has always baffled me. Many people might think this demographic is only teenagers or young drivers, but it actually doesn’t matter the age. I’ve seen grown men and women using their phones, swerving lanes and driving over or under the speed limit without noticing because they’re too immersed into their phones. You’d think that text message could wait until at least another traffic light, right?
When I find myself scrolling through social media, I always come across dashcam videos capturing accidents while people in the comment section argue over whose fault it was. I always feared I’d be in those types of situations, so I buried myself in studying traffic signs and understanding which lines on the road mean what. It’s no secret I passed all those tests because I was prepared and informed. While I’m lucky enough to, thank God, never have experienced an accident or an unfortunate altercation with another vehicle, I can’t ignore the average of 34,000 lives taken per year in the United States due to the fact that there are unsafe drivers storming the roads constantly.
We’ve all got creative and unique minds; think about how you could help someone else be a safer driver. You should encourage your friends and family to include refraining from distractions like using their phone, eating, or not being well-rested while driving. But you musn’t forget that it is very important to lead by example. While you encourage and advocate for others to do so, you should be practicing what you preach.
In the end, being an educated driver is being a safe driver. You make an automatic difference by doing the simplest things - respecting the speed limit, putting down your phone for the duration of the drive, and yes, choosing to not run that red light because of your poor time management. Think about what steps you should take before putting your foot on the gas. Get that extra hour of sleep, have a snack, and turn on do-not-disturb. Stay vigilant and aware of your surroundings. Wait an extra three seconds after your light turns green; it doesn’t matter if someone honks at you. You are keeping yourself safe. Doing these things save lives. Taking the time to educated yourself on your states traffic laws is how you help can guarantee someones parents come home safe in time for dinner.