In
the Driver’s Seat
My
mom and I were driving home from my volleyball tournament. It was
dark outside and we both desperately wanted to be home. I had just
woken up from a nap in the car when all of a sudden there was a
crunch on the side of our car. Fortunately, no one was injured, but
the initial impact of the car was frightening. What was really
terrifying was that the outcome of the crash could have been
extremely different if my mom had slowed down by not even a second.
It ended up being that the driver who hit us was under the influence
of marijuana. This whole crash could have been avoided if the driver
had been more responsible.

Though
the United States has one of the safest networks of roads in the
world, they also have an extremely high number of driving fatalities.
Tens of thousands of people are unnecessarily dying due to the
irresponsibility of drivers. These are people that others love and
care for but are being taken away for avoidable reasons. Through
drivers ed, people will learn how to be safer drivers, causing
fewer car accidents.
There
are many steps that can be taken to combat these car accidents. An
easy step is to make sure drivers ed prior to getting a
learner’s permit is thorough and clear. All programs should meet a
certain standard and be consistent throughout different programs. A
driver should never use their phone, eat, or perform any other
activities that may take their attention away from the road. Another
step to safer driving is to always drive at the posted speed limit
and to reduce speed when necessary due to weather or road conditions.
A major cause of fatal car accidents is driving while under the
influence of drugs or alcohol. All cars should be equipped with an
ignition interlock system to make sure drivers cannot start their
cars unless under the legal limit. These small adjustments would
create a significant decrease in fatal accident rates.
I
take many steps to ensure that I am a safe driver. Driving is a
privilege, so I do all that I can to make sure I don’t lose it.
When driving, I try to be free of distractions. I know that I have to
be focused and alert to the changing road conditions. If it’s late
or I’m tired, I stay off the road. Being tired causes a person’s
reaction to slow, so driving when it’s late increases my chances of
being in an accident.
Everyone
needs to take these simple steps to ensure that they are safe
drivers. Being an alert and responsible driver will decrease the
number of accidents, leading to the reduction of accident fatalities.