The thing about driving is that it’s not just something that is done by millions of people everyday. It is something that can go wrong easily. A lot of people don’t think twice about driving. It’s just something you do, you get in the car, start the engine, and go. But that’s exactly why driver education is so important. It forces you to stop and actually think about what you're doing. When you're a new driver, you don’t fully get how dangerous the road can be. You hear about accidents, but you never think it will happen to you. Then, one distraction, one mishap, one reckless action can mean a life lost, it can mean injuries for both parties.

I know firsthand how one careless moment can change everything. I lost my grandma in a way that I never thought I would. I remember sitting on the couch in our living room next to the window, when my mom came in. She told me to call my dad, who was at work, because he wasn’t answering his phone. We had to call the store where he worked at, Fairplay, and ask to talk to him in the meat department. I remember my mom doesn’t speak English very well, so she asked me to do it. I called and got in touch with my dad, and my mom told me what had happened. My grandpa had called her, telling her that he and my grandma were crossing the street just like they did every day when a car hit them. My grandpa was fine, but my grandma was in the hospital. She was okay, my mom said. I trusted her words, but I still felt that sinking feeling in my heart. Something didn’t feel right. I ran to tell my sister, trying to keep calm, telling her that grandma was in the hospital but that she was okay. But deep down, I wasn’t sure. It didn’t feel okay. I kept telling myself it would be, but I didn’t believe it. The next few days were filled with updates. My aunt flew in from Oklahoma, and my parents went to visit my grandma, leaving me with updates here and there. One day, I came home from school, and my mom told me they had to intubate my grandma. My heart sank. I tried to stay strong, not wanting my sister to see me cry, but the news hit me hard. I was scared. I didn’t want to cry in front of her, but when I told her what was happening, I couldn’t help it and broke down. Saying it out loud made it so real. A few days later, my dad picked me up from school, and he asked me if I wanted to see my grandma. I thought it was strange at first, considering the hospital didn’t allow kids in the ICU, but then he told me that my grandma was going to die that day. The doctor had given permission for us to say goodbye. I didn’t get a chance to say goodbye to my other grandma, and I still regret that. So, I didn’t hesitate. I went with my dad and mom to the hospital, and when I saw my grandma again for the first time in over a week, she didn’t look like herself. She was swollen and bruised. It wasn’t the grandma I remembered. It was someone different. But I stayed with her, in silence, while my parents and aunt were there too. We moved to another room where my mom was on one side and my sister on the other. About an hour later, my aunt, dad, and uncle went to another room with my grandma. That’s when I heard my aunt crying. I looked at my sister, and we both knew. It hit us at the same time. I didn’t even speak it. I didn’t need to.

The silence in that room was enough. I saw my dad and uncle come in after that. I’ve never seen my dad cry like that before. These are the people who are supposed to be strong for you, and yet there they were just two sons who’d lost their mom. We went back in to say goodbye one last time. I couldn’t even remember much of it, but I do remember how delicate she felt now. I remember how hard it was to see her like that, so different from the grandma I knew. That same day, it was my uncle’s birthday. And from then on, his birthday was forever carrying a weight of sadness. A sadness that would never go away. When we got home, everything was different. You could feel the anger in the house. My aunt was angry. Her faith is everything to her, but for a moment, it wasn’t. She was angry. My uncle was angry. My dad was angry. I was angry. But then, after a while, it turned to numbness, at least for me. The day of the funeral was something I’ll never forget. I spent the whole day trying not to cry. I wanted to be strong, but when I had to say my final goodbye, it all hit me. I went up to her casket, and I realized how different she looked. The morticians had tried to make her look like herself, but it wasn’t her. To others she may have appeared the same, but to me, someone who saw her everyday, it wasn’t the same. I broke down at that moment. That was the last time I saw her, and it still hurts that I didn’t get more time with her.

My grandma had health issues, and we all knew she didn’t have much time left. But that car shortened that time. And I hate the man who was in that car. From what I was told, he was distracted on his phone. He didn’t brake in time. I’ll never know what happened to him. Was he charged? Did he even care? Did he ever think about the fact that he took a mother, a wife, a grandma from this world because of his carelessness? No one ever told us what happened to him. I don’t know if he’s walking around free or if he faced any consequences. But I hope he thinks about what he did. I hope he realizes that the one second of distraction took a life. My grandma’s life was taken, and all we have now are memories. But memories aren’t enough. I want her here. I want her to be alive.

Driver’s ed doesn’t just teach one about the rules of the road. Yes, it is crucial to know what the yield sign means and how to accelerate or brake, but that’s not the only takeaway. Driver’s ed is also about learning what’s at stake when you get behind the wheel or in a car in general. It makes you realize that driving isn’t just about you, but it’s about everyone else on the road and off the road too. The choices you make are not choices that will affect only you. The second you decide to take your eyes off the road or let your mind wander, you’re taking a chance at more than just your own life. That’s the kind of thing people don’t think about until it’s too late, and by then, there’s nothing that can be done to undo it.

There’s no one single fix to stop reckless driving, but there are things we can do to make the roads safer. First, we need to start treating reckless driving like the life or death issue it is. Texting and driving, drunk driving, and speeding are things that kill people every single day, yet a lot of drivers still act like it’s no big deal. To help with this, the laws need to be stricter, and consequences need to be more serious. If you kill someone because you were on your phone, that’s not just an "accident”, it’s negligence, and it should be treated that way. We also need to do a better job teaching new drivers what they’re actually up against. Defensive driving should be a requirement, not just an optional class. Defensive driving refers to the mindset that anything can happen at any time. In other words, expect the unexpected. People need to know how to handle dangerous situations before they’re actually in one. Nowadays we do have technology like lane assist and emergency braking that do help, but regardless of all of that, no amount of safety features can make up for a distracted driver. But more than anything, people just need to wake up and be alert. Driving isn’t just pressing the gas and getting from point A to point B. It is something that needs to be taken seriously.

One second of carelessness, one moment of looking away, and someone’s gone. I know that because my family went through that. Even though I still don’t drive, I know how important it is to be safe behind the wheel. I’ve experienced the after pain from how one careless moment can take someone’s life, and that’s something I will never forget, something that I will never stop feeling. I won’t be the person who drives distracted or recklessly. I’m not behind the wheel yet, but I’m already thinking about how I’ll drive when that time comes. I’ll make sure to never text while driving, never speed, and always stay focused. I don’t ever want to cause someone else to experience the pain that comes with losing their loved one because of negligence. I’ll drive with the awareness that my actions on the road affect more than just me.