Keeping Lives Safe!!

Aguayo 1

Ariana Aguayo

Moreno Valley College (Middle College High School)

High School Junior

From: Moreno Valley, CA

11/30/19

Keeping Lives Safe!

Teens need to be taught that driving is a task that is complex and demanding. Driving is a very exciting stage in one's life. However, we need to realize the importance of driving safely. We can do that by taking all the required steps that come with the responsibility of driving. For example, the importance of drivers ed and also considering what steps could be taken to reduce the number of deaths. All these self-reflection techniques will help drivers see the reality and importance of being safe, cautious and responsible while driving.

I remember my first encounter at driving. I was 15 years old. I had waited so long for this moment, all my friends were learning how to drive and getting prepared to take the long awaited “written test”. I felt so excited like I was finally “grown up”. However, I remember the first thing my mother told which was that although I was learning how to drive a truck, I always needed to be cautious and safe because this vehicle can instantly become a deadly machine. At first, I just pushed that lesson past me. I didn’t realize that as soon as I stepped on the accelerator pedal the truck would move so fast. Luckily, there was no one around but just the thought of hurting someone for my careless actions scared me and made me vomit. I immediately got off the truck and ran to the crib and just sat there to cry. I felt so irresponsible, so dumb and careless.

My mom explained to me that in a blink of an eye, my life could change while driving a vehicle recklessly. It was in that moment I knew that I had to do everything in my power to take all precautions in learning how to be a safe and responsible driver. I never wanted to feel that guilt ever again in my life. Therefore, I took my time studying day and night to learn about everything that I needed to know about driving. I practiced and practiced with caution, I also took my drivers ed courses online, second hand independent driver education course with taught me the importance of driving using simulations. Drivers ed taught me that there are many consequences that come with being an unsafe and irresponsible driver. Having this knowledge upon the rules of the road and learning to operate a car safely and under supervision really helped enhance my experience and increased my ability to be a safe driver. I have developed many safe driving habits that I use in my daily life.

Although there are many steps to ensure safe, cautious and responsible driving while also decreasing the number of deaths each year. The most important steps remain to be including greater awareness and enforcement of the DUI laws. Also, ensuring that every licensed driver is properly trained in operating a vehicle, stopping the usage of cell phone use voluntarily while operating a vehicle, enforcing a law that requires a chip in all vehicles that calculates and monitors the usage of cell phone use, close crash situations and more. There also needs to be a setting on cell phones that automatically activates when a driver enters a vehicle that prohibits messages and phone calls from being received and only allows emergency calls. All these laws/solutions should be made standard in order to provide security and safety for all drivers and pedestrians.

Fortunately, due to my excellent experience in driving safely and always being cautious while operating my vehicle, I have never been in a car crash. None of my family members have ever encountered in being involved in a crash. I believe this hasn’t yet happened to any of us because we are so experienced and learned the right, cautious and responsible way of being safe in operating our vehicles. However, only because we haven’t been involved in a situation like that doesn’t mean we should ever stop being safe drivers. On the contrary, we should take our experiences and influence/teach others of the importance of safe driving.

Furthermore, we can become and continue to be safe and responsible drivers by staying off our phones, reminding each other the importance of safe driving, know who is riding with you, follow all the rules and laws of driving, not driving when I am not going to be focused, share my knowledge and experience with others around me, etc. It’s our habits that we must change in order to make a true impact upon being a safe driver. We need to be aware of the reality and know the true consequences upon not being a safe driver so that we can better ourselves and keep everyone safe around us.

Overall, I hope my essay encourages others to realize the importance of being a safe driver. The statistics show that we need to do everything in our power to be safe and responsible drivers. How many lives must be taken until we realize the importance of safe driving? What can we do to change those statistics?