In The Driver's Seat - M. Reilly

Meghan Reilly

Driving Safety

In The Driver’s Seat - M. Reilly

As a new driver, I believe that safe driving is one of the most important things. If everyone took driving serious, many people would still be here today. According to many statistics, driving is more dangerous and deadly for our nation than being involved in combat. On average, 34,000 people in America die each year as a result of driving. This highlights the serious consequences of being negligent on the road. I believe that drivers ed and teaching new drivers about safe driving can reduce the number of deaths as a result of driving.

Drivers education is extremely important and can cause a reduction in the number of deaths while driving. By teaching the youth about how important it is to be a safe driver, an overall safer driving environment is created as a result. This ultimately would cause less deaths in driving related accidents. While I was in Drivers Ed, my teacher did a great job with explaining to us how to be safe drivers. My teacher taught us about various different topics that could cause accidents, such as road rage, drunk driving, and even driving while tired. While I was in Drivers Ed, I would research different ways in which I could become a safe driver, and I learnt that staying alert while driving, not depending on the other drivers, and cutting out distractions would help me become a safer driver. Educating new drivers is one of many steps that can be taken to create a safer driving environment.

Additionally, being a respectful driver can help reduce accidents. Being a respectful driver means to be courteous to other drivers, not to tailgate, and to try not to experience road rage. My AP Psychology teacher once told me and my class a method of how to combat road rage that stuck with me. He told us that we must consider what is going on in the other person’s car. This has helped my eliminate road rage while driving because now, instead of getting mad when cars weave their way in and out of other cars, I think about what may be going on in their car; maybe there’s an emergency and they’re trying to get to the nearest hospital, or maybe they’re trying to get to someone who’s having an emergency, or other dire situations such as those. Therefore, I believe that being a respectful driver can help reduce accidents which would ultimately help reduce the number of deaths due to driving.

Being a risky driver doesn’t just affect yourself - it also affects people around you. When I was around 4 years old, I was hit by a drunk driver. My whole family and I were on our way home from the city and we were pulling into the driveway when our car got hit by another car. I was terrified. This was the first car accident I’ve ever been in and arguably the worst. Thankfully, no one was seriously hurt, but my aunt and mother had to go to the hospital. My aunt was taken away in an ambulance and my mom’s glasses broke and the glass went into her eyes. Despite this, we got lucky. Thankfully, nobody was seriously hurt and nobody died. However, not everyone is as lucky as we were. I always see people dying due to car accidents on the news. I even see the sites of car accidents when I’m driving.

Terrible things such as this inspire me to be the best driver I can be. I’ve made a promise to myself to never drive while intoxicated due to the car accident I was in when I was a little girl. I also try to limit my road rage by thinking to myself that there may be an emergency in the car next to me. These methods have caused me to be a safer driver. I try to help others become safer drivers by teaching these methods to my friends and family.