*Dun Dun Dun* In the Driver's Seat

I had never heard my mom scream so much as she did when I first drove to the Randalls 5 minutes away from where I lived. Even though the only direction I ever turned was right, that first lesson was one of the worst experiences I have ever been through. I think I almost crashed once missing the entrance, bringing about another wave of fear in my mother and me.

Driving was never a strong suit for me; although I am capable of driving, I’m constantly plagued by fear of crashing, being honked at, and getting pulled over. Even alone, I feel my mother’s paranoid presence next to me, shrieking at my small mistakes like slowing down too early or not being completely in the center of my lane. This fear forces me to pay constant attention to the road, my speed, and the cars or pedestrians in other lanes or sidewalks. I have yet to contribute towards the many deaths caused by accidents and for that, I am grateful towards my mother who pushed me to become a better driver.

Fortunately, I have not personally experienced a car accident, but I have friends who have had crashes right after obtaining their licenses. In each of these stories, the driver at fault is usually distracted, whether it be my friend on their cellular device or another driver focusing on anything but the road. I, myself, almost hit the car next to me the day before my driving exam because I did not use my mirrors.

It’s these small things that can really make a difference, whether it be the two seconds looking down on a phone or even spacing out. A car may decide to try switching lanes, cutting you off, or backing out of a driveway. Regardless of the instance, getting distracted away from the road may result in injuries or death. Personally, I believe that I need to work on using the mirrors more efficiently. During my driver’s test, the one criticism of my driving was that I looked over my shoulder too long. In retrospect, if I was driving while in heavy traffic, this action could have led to an accident. Another thing I’m doing to practice safe driving is putting my device on “Do Not Disturb” so I do not instinctively check it.

If I were to change the driving curriculum, a step that could be taken to ensure reduced deaths would be to increase the age you can obtain a driver’s license to 18. This’ll allow for a teenager to at least have matured and become an adult. I believe that as you gain more responsibilities, you begin to assess the decisions you make rather than rashly acting on instincts. However, drivers ed is just as important in reducing the number of deaths resulting from driving. Not only does it teach people how to drive, but it also warns people about the potential consequences of distracted driving and provides advice on how to prevent carelessness.