Driving is a privileged avocation that has brought innumerable delights and pleasures to many individuals since the first mass-produced car in the twentieth century. From road trips with friends to listening to music while traveling home, driving has become a ubiquitous activity that has influenced society and defined generations. Nonetheless, with amusement, driving at its foremost is a perilous activity that can bear dire consequences if performed precipitously. To enhance safety and minimize peril, we must first make the crucial effort to educate new drivers and inform them of road safety.
As human beings, we are neither incapable of predicting the conditions of the roadways nor the weather in which we drive. Like life, road conditions are ever-changing and alternating due to their environment or the wear of asphalt, forcing the driver to accommodate the road changes. However, while we do not possess the ability to prognosticate the circumstances of the road, it is within our power to control how we drive. The first advance we can take is to inform individuals of road safety and bridge the gap between knowledge and ignorance. By remedying unawareness and taking the time to acquaint people with driver safety, we can make them more conscious of the significance of driving irresponsibly and persuade them that safety should be the driver's foremost concern. Only after revealing the dire repercussions driving can possess can, we help reduce careless driving and protect the lives of innocents. Driving education is imperative in reducing the number of fatalities because when teaching people about driving attentively, we provide them with the tools to drive safely and protect themselves and everyone they encounter.
The efforts we can take to reduce the number of driving fatalities are not only beneficial to oneself but for all drivers on the road. In my experience, one of the first advances to reducing the number of vehicle deaths is to enhance one's chances of being conscious of the road and other drivers. For example, before getting behind the wheel, a person can improve their cognitive skills and reduce the possibility of getting into an accident by sleeping well the night before. While restful sleep is seen as inconsequential to increasing driver safety, driving while fatigued is essentially as perilous as driving while intoxicated. Lack of sleep can impair a person's ability to drive, slowing their reactions and hindering their ability to decipher obstacles. Before taking the wheel, it is imperative to rest well the night before, improving one's chances of being fully aware of the road and obstacles, thus reducing the number of deaths caused by driving. An additional step that can be taken is to communicate with other drivers on the road. Using inclusions in a vehicle, like singling, braking, and vehicle horns are designed to forewarn other drivers and prevent vehicle-related accidents and deaths. Employing these inclusions while driving permits other drivers to know and anticipate your movements, allowing them to modify their speed following your impending actions. When applied, a driver will understand what another driver is attempting to do and can accommodate their driving prudently.
Driving carelessly not only puts oneself in danger but the passengers in one's car as well. I can remember the incident as if it were a recurring nightmare. During our car ride, a discrepancy came between my mother and father, forcing them into a verbal altercation. What began as a civil disagreement gradually advanced into bitter blares, launched at one another's insecurities. As their exclamations increased, my father's pressure on the gas accommodated his rising anger. After ending their argument, silence fell between them, but my father did not ease his force on the acceleration. I could feel my body gradually being forced back into the material of my seat in response to the increased velocity of the car. My mother then asked my father to slow down as we neared a dangerous speed, but he ignored her. When she asked him again, he remained in his quiet fury as he sped down the narrow road. My eyes fell to the speedometer, watching how the dial passed numbers and teased towards numbers within the hundreds. My mother had asked him to stop again, raising her voice to show the significance of the situation. Within the depths of her voice, it was the first time I had ever heard fear influence my mother. Against me, tears had begun to form within the corners of my eyes, threatening to fall as my mother implored my father to reduce his speed. Then, my father's eyes shifted to the rearview mirror, meeting mine within the reflection of the back seat. Afterwards, I felt the force of the car slowly being lifted from the vehicle, as I slowly rose from the seat. My eyes fell to the speedometer, breathing a sigh of relief as the dial lowered to a slower speed. While not aware at the time, my father had put us all into a dangerous situation after allowing his emotions to influence his driving ability. In anger, he increased his speed against the gas, increasing his chances of colliding with a building or another vehicle. Although he eventually reduced his speed, we were still put in jeopardy due to his reckless driving and his inability to control his emotions behind the wheel. At that moment, I became aware that reckless driving affects not only the driver in the vehicle but rather the passengers as well. If we were to crash that day, there was a high possibility that we could have collided with another vehicle. If we were to crash that day, there was a high possibility that we all could have been injured in response to the collision. If we were to crash that day, there was a high possibility that I might not be here today. Driving recklessly affects everyone inside the vehicle, putting everyone in harm's way. Bridging the gap between knowledge and ignorance not only teaches people about driver safety but it can also save lives.
As a driver, there are many actions I can take to become a better driver and improve the safety of the road for everyone. In addition to the steps, I previously listed, another step I can further take is to remove all distractions while driving, thus improving my attentivity on the road. By removing all potential distractions, such as electronics, eating, and changing the music on the radio, I will be fully aware of the conditions of the road and less likely to get into an accident after being distracted by something in my vehicle. After removing all distractions within my ability, I will not only increase my safety on the road but also my passengers and the additional drivers on the road.
Driving is an enjoyable activity that has become a common practice in our everyday lives. However, it is imperative to remember that driving poses risks and repercussions when practiced irresponsibly and recklessly. To increase safety on the street for everyone, it is vital to take the time to educate new drivers and teach them how to drive safely on the road. While it may seem overwhelming to parents and instructors, we can begin by teaching people the perilous repercussions driving can have when done recklessly. When driving, it is critical to practice safe driving and take the necessary actions to improve the safety of oneself and everyone else