I am going to tell you the truth; I am a victim of a car accident. I was in a head on collision when someone was driving on the wrong side of the road. I was on my way home going north and the person didn't realize that they were going south on the two lanes going northbound and not on the two southbound lanes. I soon realized that a set of headlights were coming down my lane and I started to switch lanes but we still hit each other. I ended up in the median a little bit ways down. I could not find my phone right away to call 911 but I ran to the other car to see if they were ok. I am lucky that the family that was in the other car and I came out of the accident safe and had no major injuries. It is that type of misinterpretation of road safety that could cause an accident that would cost a person’s life or more.
I cannot speak on everyone's behalf of driver safety. There are always going to be the ones that don’t take into account that there are other people’s lives at risk when they drive distracted. In the 22 years that I’ve been alive, I have seen a decent amount of ad campaigns and ‘Don’t Text and Drive’ oaths in school that got people to realize the dangers of distracted driving. Those oaths never went into true detail about the dangers but the ads that I have seen did. I consider myself lucky from learning from parents that never drive distracted and are aware of what goes on around them whenever they drive. I know some people do not have that and see their parents drive with a phone in hand, or do not take into account their surroundings when driving and those teens seem it is ok to do so. Parents and older siblings are a big part of that leading by example when teens are starting to learn to drive. Teens need a good example of a driver to learn from and parents are just that. ”Parents first have to lead by example — by never driving distracted — as well as have a talk with their young driver about distraction and all of the responsibilities that come with driving” (nhtsa.gov). Young kids see what people do more than what we give them credit for.
In the state of Ohio, when someone turns eighteen they are exempt from taking the mandatory driver education course. When teens in Ohio get their learner's permit at the age of 15 ½ they are required to take those classes and because of that there is a lower rate of fatal crashes. That goes to show that when people have the knowledge on how to be a safe driver there are less of those fatal crashes. I do not have the knowledge of the driver requirements in place in the remaining 49 states. Yet in every state there are always going to be some bad drivers. If every state allows anyone eighteen and up to be exempt from taking mandatory driver education classes there will be a higher rate of distracted drivers. Not only having a parent being a good example but to also have a driver education course will definitely help in the long run.
I am not only concerned about what type of drivers are out there on a daily basis. I am concerned for my brother. My brother is about six years older than myself and has had his license since he was about 18. Whenever I ride in the passenger seat with my brother driving, I am totally uncomfortable with the way he drives. He is not a super crazy driver but he does drive a little fast and starts to go over into the other lanes. My parents and myself have told him multiple times that his driving is concerning, yet he has not gotten better. I do not want him to be another number in the statistics of driver deaths.
In conclusion, learn from a good example and driver education classes and do not become another statistic. Distracted driving does nothing but cause harm to yourself and others. There is no reason to be on your phone whilst driving. If something comes up that is urgent please go to the nearest place to stop. If it's not of dire need do not pick that phone up to look at it or put your phone in do not disturb while driving.