Driving is an everyday task that people perform where it eventually becomes like washing your hands. As a child, your parents teach you how important it is to wash your hands. And you make sure to create those bubbles so all the germs can go away. As years go on, I notice people don’t wash their hands with the same effort or for some, completely don’t wash them at all. Same idea when one learns how to drive. People are extra careful, always checking their blind spots and turning on their blinkers on time. As time goes on, one becomes careless of the little things that can make a huge difference. It can go as far as not putting on a seatbelt. Not putting on the one thing that can save your life is crossing the line.
People should keep in mind that driving is a task that should not be taken lightly, even if it does not seem like it. Their life is not the only one at risk, but also to strangers who just want to go on with their day. It isn’t fair to those that take every precaution and are still hurt due to others careless mistakes. Once you turn on your car, your whole focus should be on the road until the minute you turn off your car.
Everyone has their own mind and it is difficult to enforce rules on some people. I think the best way to become a better and safe driver is to find what makes them comfortable and establish their rules in a different way. For instance, someone who is driving with their friends can ask a simple question like, “Is everyone wearing their seatbelts?” Those few seconds can save a life. Or for someone else who likes teamwork they can have the person in the passenger seat to help them navigate or warn them if they notice something the driver may not. I like to see the driver as the leader of the group. The one that has to make sure that by the end of the day, they did their best to keep everyone and themselves safe. Each driver has to create an environment that they will be comfortable in and allows them to follow all the rules for their own safety.
Another thing that I think is very important is speaking up. One may notice that someone is doing something wrong and saying something can prevent from something disastrous happening. Sometimes a pair of eyes is not enough and if the people in the car help each other, they will be able to safely make it to their desired destination. Or if you are aware they are doing something they shouldn’t be doing, like speeding; someone should immediately tell them to stop and tell them that they feel like their own life is in danger. This can allow the driver to notice that what they are doing is not just illegal but making their passengers feel unsafe. Caution should be taken if that person will be the driver because they may not want to understand the terrible risks, they are creating from breaking the laws.
Ring! Ring! That small sound can be very tempting to pick up even when driving. It only takes a few seconds to grab a phone and answer it. Easy right? Wrong. Those few seconds can cause an accident to occur only because you looked away for a few seconds. When it comes to driving, every second counts. Someone may make a mistake when driving and if you are not paying attention, you will have no time to react in time to prevent anything from happening. It is best if the driver keeps their phone on silent so they do not hear the notifications. Because that single ring can be life changing in a negative way.
Many people think that if other people aren’t wanting to become better, why should they? The way I see it is if one second can make a big difference so can one person too. If one more person really focuses on how to become a better and safer driver, it decreases the chances of an accident occurring when on the road. That one person is contributing their effort with the other cars on the road to make sure they are driving safely. It may not seem like it but it is a team effort. It only takes one person to make the road a better place for all.