Not
Worth It


Although
the only car accident I’ve been involved in was getting rear-ended
by a distracted driver on a rainy day, I have found my scariest
moments in a vehicle to be my near-crash experiences. For example, my
friend Frank was driving us to the mall one day. He was so distracted
by trying to fix the GPS that he entered the mall at a spot marked
“Do Not Enter.” We nearly crashed into a car that was trying to
pull out. Although we were thankfully all okay, I realized how easy
it is to lose your life in a car accident.
I
asked Frank why he did this: Didn’t he learn in driver’s
education class not to use his phone while driving? He told me he
often didn’t pay attention in his drivers ed classes.
Although drivers ed provides the tools, experience, and
necessary knowledge to teach young driver’s the rules of the road
and how to safely operate a vehicle, it seemed like he had wasted
this experience by being uninterested.

I
think the number of deaths related to driving could be greatly
reduced if drivers ed is promoted, encouraged, and required
across the United States. As of now, only 32 states require teen
drivers to take a drivers ed course before they get their
license. If all 50 states adopted this requirement, there’s no
telling the amount lives that could be saved. Further, if state
educational departments required that students pass driver’s
education before they can graduate high school, even more teenagers
would have access to proper driving knowledge and would be overall
safer drivers.

My
experiences in the car with Frank have helped illuminate the steps I
can take to help others (and myself) become a better driver. With the
presence of technology, it is becoming even easier to be a distracted
driver. Instead of insisting on controlling the GPS or radio
yourself, have a passenger help control these features. If that isn’t
possible, you can take advantage of the technology available to us by
investing in a Bluetooth or wireless system that allows for voice
activated controls. No life is worth more than a text, the right
directions on a GPS, or a higher volume on the radio.