In the driver's seat

Taylor Grace Scott

I have been driving for three years, and many things have stood out to me as I have continued to drive the streets of Anderson, South Carolina. The first of which is how important drivers ed is in reducing the number of driving-related deaths. When I went through drivers ed, I was made aware of things that I never would have known or even thought about regarding driver-related deaths. They pointed out how many people had died in South Carolina due to ignorance behind the wheel. Drivers ed is imperative in showing students how to be safe while driving, including information about the importance of seatbelts, blinkers, headlights, and not driving under the influence. It is very important that new drivers go through drivers ed so they, like me, can be exposed to the dangers of driving and how to always be safe, and this can reduce the number of driver related deaths.

Some steps that can be taken to reduce the number of deaths related to driving are increasing penalties on things like not wearing seatbelts or drastically speeding. Seatbelts can have such an impact on accidents and not wearing one could make a serious accident become fatal. Also, speeding is very dangerous because if a car crashed into another going at a low or moderate speed, the damage would be a lot worse if the car was speeding. Another precaution taken could be to make it illegal to be on a phone or device at all while driving. These devices are so distracting and have caused many deaths across the country already this year because drivers look down at their phones and don’t see the car breaking in front of them. These are just a few things that could be done to reduce the number of deaths related to driving.

I was involved in an accident last year, and three of my closest friends were also hit around the same time. I was driving myself and a friend to school when the light ahead of me turned yellow, and the cars in front of me hit the brakes, and I did as well. The car behind me was either not paying attention or not quick enough to brake in time because she came crashing into the back of my car. The glass on her headlights shattered, my back bumper was smashed in, and her car would not even start after she turned it off. It was a scary experience, and then I found out that she was driving uninsured, and hadn’t had insurance in over six months. That was very irresponsible of her because then we ended up having to pay for the damages. My three best friends were also hit in similar instances, at a four way stop, pulling out of the school parking lot, and at a red light again. None of the accidents we were involved in were our faults, but they all took a toll on us.

Some steps I can take to be a better driver are driving distraction free all of the time, using my blinkers early, and always wearing my seatbelt. I can help others be safe on the road by making everyone who rides in my car wear their seatbelt and not call my friends or family if I know that they are driving.