O' The Places You'll Go With Driver's Safety

The world of driving is a scary one. One moment everything is fine and you are cruising along. In the next second, everything changes.

The best part about senior year is passing your road. I am a new driver and have had my license since March. You don’t realize how important drivers ed is until you are on the road yourself. People are constantly speeding and cutting cars off, putting others on the roads at risk. Drivers ed teaches you to not panic when encountering these drivers. All drivers should be informed of the hundreds of accidents that occur each year, especially the deadly ones of people, young and old, from local communities. People need to realize that these accidents can happen to anyone and no one is invincible. A layer of metal can only provide so much protection! Drivers ed is where we learn of these vulnerabilities and see the consequences of stupid decisions. It is where my friends and I learned how to prevent ourselves from getting into harmful situations.

Drivers education is the first step to reducing deaths on the roads. If all people are informed of the deadly outcomes, more people can avoid being killed. However, the best way to reduce deaths related to driving is by eliminating distractions. This means no more texting, eating, snapchatting, or changing stations while driving. They can wait until you have reached your destination or pulled over to a safe location. Besides, you’ll travel farther if you do not inhibit your driving by focusing on other tasks. I keep my phone on driver’s mode so I am never tempted to pick it up or check for notifications. I also do not let my parents drive while texting as I worry for everyone’s safety.

Another major distraction that I’ve seen with teens, including some of my friends, is vaping while driving. Vaping is bad for your health and blocks your view of the road. This could lead to someone getting hurt, or worse. Let’s save lives by focusing solely on the road and not damaging our lungs in the process!

Distractions and speeding are a terrible combination. My dog was killed after being hit by a garbage truck speeding past my street and not paying attention to its surroundings. It was a traumatic experience for my family and I. Identifying even the smallest thing on the road could save someone or their pets’ lives. It would also save your car from damages, expensive repairs, and being late. I want to be a safe driver, which means following the rules of the roads by sticking to speed limits, not texting, and NOT VAPING. I hope to teach my younger brother by example, even if it’s as simple as ensuring everyone is wearing their seatbelt. I’d rather be late to school than take a detour to a hospital or cemetery.