To you it’s like a second home all to yourself, and the perfect way
to get around. To drivers on the same road it’s an ordinary sight.
But to any person, pole or ditch outside only two inches away from
the car darting towards them, or inside the car at that moment, it’s
a two-ton machine that only produces crushed limbs, dead bodies and
property damage.


Imagine you’re behind the wheel of that car. Now soon you
mysteriously find yourself floating through a dark space. Nothing to
see, nothing to hear, but 37,000 people surrounding you who came in
the same way you did in the last year. You might not know what you
did. Maybe you looked down at a text, or didn’t look behind you
when you merged, or even ran through a railroad crossing. It doesn’t
matter, because you and the other 37,000 are all dead.

These are all newbie mistakes, despite their dire consequences, and
that’s why we always drive with adults helping us at first. But
many of us want to drive alone ASAP, and this is where we get too
cocky. Even with all the Drivers Ed, some fail to retain knowledge
in exchange for a quick license, so many new drivers tragically fail
to recognize their mistakes when they drive on their own. It doesn’t
help that many drivers are quick to put themselves in a dangerous
situation, whether they are in a hurry or are just having too much
fun.

I’ve only been in one car accident myself, in my last week of
seventh grade. I had just gotten out of finals and my mother, who by
then had over thirty years of driving experience, drove me home. Then
without warning, a car rammed us in the back. All I could see was
white, and broken glass flew from behind and cut the skin an inch
away from my eye. The deranged driver who crashed us was arrested and
I fortunately had no other injuries, but my mother was sent to the
ER, and lost the car she had since before I was born. So driving
recklessly can hurt not only yourself, but also other people, even
those who were already driving safely. And how is it fair if you
follow all the rules of the road and some idiot smashes your car in
anyway?

There are millions of ways to protect yourself and others on the
road. But the most important thing is knowing that getting your
license is not a race. It’s better to take longer and be confident
than to rush and cause more accidents and deaths. The same goes for
everyday driving. Relax and go at speeds that you’re comfortable
with and are safe to other cars.

Remember, the road is not a race track, and your license is not a
first place trophy. They are both a test of trust and knowledge that
we must pass every day to drive safely and happily.