To reduce the risk around the number of deaths while driving, security in one’s driving skills is so important. I notice some of the people I drive with that are unaware of their bad driving skills are hesitant in knowing when to merge and slow down. Plus, knowing how to defensive drive is key to being a safe driver, which most driver ed’s schools lack this fundamental step in securing a healthy relationship with your safety while controlling a vehicle. Defensive driving involves preventing hazardous accidents, minimizing distractions while driving, being prepared to react appropriately and regular maintenance. Regular maintenance on a car can improve the car’s mobility and longevity, I have seen friends with car models as new as 2018-2020, being towed. From not paying attention to lights on the dash, or having to get a whole new engine, which is not cheap.
I was involved in an accident when I was 17 on September 20th of 2021. My bad driving habits were adopted by someone I was in a close relationship with. This same person had taught me how to drive, so my driving skills and behavior mirrored his. While my parents taught me how to drive, it never involved me being behind the wheel, more of them telling me the dos and don’ts of the road. So, when I was given the opportunity to be behind the wheel, the bad habits shortly followed, including speeding, recklessness, and little consideration of others.
After the Summer of 2022, I had just finished saving enough money to pay 4k in full for my new blue 2004 Honda Civic, I was ecstatic. My accident followed shortly after I had clocked out of work in September, still being in high school at the time, a senior. I remember I had school the next morning, I was exhausted that day having an 8-hour school day, track practice and then working a shift at my local Goodwill retail store. I was in a rush to finish my homework, shower, study and do it all over again. This moment after work, I needed gas to fill my car, taking away some crucial study time. As I sped around the corner just before I drove over the Monocacy River in Frederick, MD, I crashed. I first lost control of the car, going approx. 106 mph, crashing headfirst into the guard rail, and spun into a circle landing in a ditch. I did not know how much damage was done, until I was able to limp out and see. The front was wrecked and fully indented, and the back bumper was hanging.
Several months to 2 years later passed, and I am still disappointed in myself for taking on such terrible driving habits from someone I trusted to keep me safe. My parents always encouraged me to be a safe driver, I am the youngest in my family and the only one with a provisional license. Having to drive my older siblings and friends around was normal, I do not take for granted how quick life jolts you from comfort. It was a normal day, returning home from work, yet the event that night unfolded a new ideology on driving for me.
To be a safer drive, I am aware of what vehicles are around me and know not to tail closely behind delivery trucks, 18-wheelers, or cement trucks. I also make sure the music in my car is at a reasonable level in case emergency vehicles are close by trying to navigate on the road. I have taken upon myself to self-teach for car maintenance, for my 2015 Chevrolet Cruze I was able to do an oil change and put in LED lights when mine were too dim-which is a danger to myself and anywhere I travel, especially in dark/foggy conditions on backroads. When I am in another person’s car, I try to be aware of pedestrians close by and make sure the driver’s eyes are on the road. I was never a person who was distracted while driving, but putting my phone on a car phone holder helps eliminate the possibility of distractions for me.
I am grateful I am alive today to provide my loved ones with secure transportation, as I know some days they depend on me to get to work, school, etc. After my crash, I was unreliable and was dependent on public transportation to get anywhere. Independence is key for me to succeed in all life aspects, so having a new car in 2023 had brought me that same joy of being reliable and safe.