Learning from my mistakes

Driving is probably the most complex activity we do on a daily basis. It involves not only body movement but also coordination/timing of the movements and observation of our surroundings. A car is a 4,000-pound machine that, and not handled properly, can kill or severally injury someone. That’s why taking driving seriously matters so much.

My parents decided to put me in a driving school, and honestly, at first, I thought they could just teach me themselves. But looking back, it was the best decision. I learned the right way. Driver education taught me traffic laws, how to recognize dangerous situations, and how to drive responsibly and defensively. Those skills have already saved me from difficult moments on the road.

Any decision I take behind the wheel affect everyone around them. Speeding, distracted driving (with cellphones!), driving under the influence, and other unsafe decisions can have serious consequences. 

Friends and family also play a role by holding each other accountable instead of ignoring unsafe behavior. I still remember my first week driving: we were just a few miles from home, and my parents let me take the wheel. My grandfather was in the front seat. I got distracted, a yellow light surprised me, and I ended up speeding through it. Nothing happened, but my parents were yelling, worried about what I had just done. My grandfather, though, stayed calm and simply said, “You just ran a red light.” I think he realized that the person most scared in that moment was me.

After that, I had a couple of similar situations, but I was prepared and knew how to handle them. I still hate yellow lights — I always slow down and get ready to stop.

I have seen firsthand how quickly an accident can happen. One of my oldest friends and neighbor crashed a car before he even had his driver's license. He was going only for a short distance down the road with another friend in the car, but they still ended up wrecking. Seeing this made me realize something very important, being close to home or only driving a few minutes does not make you any safer. After that experience, I made the decision that I would never ride in a car with him driving. He does not stop in stop signs, he always has music blasting inside the car so loud that you cannot carry a conversation, and he is always on the phone with someone. He is basically the perfect example of how young drivers can be so arrogant and irresponsible when they start driving. Watching him taught me that I need to be careful about who I trust to drive me. I should not get into a car with someone who I do not believe is a safe driver.

People say that college live usually involves parties and drinking. I am not a fan of drinking, and I will be extremely cautions not to put me in a situation that involves being in a car with a drunk driver. I will probably be the designated driver to all my friends. I would rather be the responsible one than risk my life or someone else’s. You can not get back a life.

As I continue driving, one thing I can do to be safer is to be patient with other people on the road. I do not know their situation, their confidence level, their experience behind the wheel or if they are just having a bad day. They could be a new driver who is still learning, an older driver who has its cognitive skills reduced with age, or someone visiting from out of town. Instead of getting angry over the small and annoying things other drivers do, I need to let them go and focus on driving safely. 

My grandmother she is almost 90 years-old and still want to drive. She has never been a good driver, but with age, it is clear she is a real danger on the road. Her doctor explained that the older you get, our cognitive abilities reduced, awareness and decision making get worse, and she could be a danger for herself and others. Hearing that from the doctor she finally accepted the fact that she should not be driving anymore. Watching her go through that made me realize how important it is to recognize when someone you love shouldn’t be behind the wheel, no matter how much they want to be.

Ultimately, being a safe driver is about more than knowing the rules of the road. It is about being responsible, patient, alert, and willing to learn. My experiences have taught me that accidents can happen when you least expect them, and that I have a responsibility to make good decisions every time I drive. I can also encourage my friends and family to drive safely and hold them accountable when they make dangerous choices. If everyone took driving as seriously as they should, we could make the roads safer for everyone.