Driving is more than a Routine

Leaving our homes and hopping in the car on our daily commutes can many times be taken for granted as a mundane part of our routines, but there are dangers we face every time we are on the road. As data shows, there’s more vehicular deaths than war causalities. That is a shocking truth about the risks of getting behind the wheel.

Driver safety is a definite preventative solution to many of the fatal and unfortunate car accidents we see today. Information about impaired driving can empower drivers to want to protect not only themselves, but others on the road. I lost an old classmate early this year due to a drunk driver that was speeding their way through an intersection. It hurts not just because my classmate was young and had so many friends and family who lost him, but also because this death was preventable. Many young drivers believe that they are invincible until they are faced with the reality of their impaired driving. It takes one second of poor judgement to ruin the life of someone else.

Another form of impaired driving is the use of a cell phone or tablet behind the wheel. Many people believe that they are more than able to multitask, but truthfully, this put many in great danger than drunk driving. I have seen a few of my friends texting and driving and I immediately tell them to put it away and wait until we are parked to text. I was almost T-boned at an intersection because a young lady was on her cell phone and passed the stop sign. Thankfully we were able to swerve out of harm’s way, but I think back to how much that moment could’ve ended differently. I choose not to text and drive after seeing a PSA about a young lady who was in the car with her friend that texted and drove. She hit a family of four with a baby in the back seat. That entire family was unresponsive after the crash.

The worst situation I was made aware of, was a young mom who hit and killed three children after failing to stop after a bus put its stop sign out, to drop off those children. This was such a tough situation on both sides. A mother lost her three kids and another set of kids lost their mom. There are many steps that can be taken to prevent the accidents I mentioned. Drivers ed programs should become mandatory and more accessible to new drivers. I don’t think cramming information from a driver’s manual and taking the written test, is enough to ensure a driver is taking all the precautions for safe driving. In low income homes, many families cannot afford to send their kids to Drivers ed. The resources and videos offered in Drivers ed, equip each diver with the knowledge to handle many situations as a confident driver that those who miss out, will not attain.

The steps I take to be a safer driver, is to remain aware and be an aggressive driver. I don’t put myself in situations that would impair my driving. I always correct my friends and family members if they start speeding, decide to text or any other bad driving habits. I am a very aware passenger, like I would be if I was behind the wheel. I have on many occasions, saved a friend from passing a red light because I was aware of what was happening, even as a passenger. Though these habits might seem extreme to young drivers especially, but I’m always thankful that I am creating a safe driving experience for others. Now that I lost a vibrant and inspiring classmate to a fatal car accident, it makes me even more passionate about driver safety. It’s not a random problem other people may experience. It could’ve been me; it could’ve been you. Driver’s Safety should be personal.