Safety behind the Wheel

One year ago on Thanksgiving day, I was involved in my first car accident. It was a dark and clear night and I was driving out of town to my friend’s house in the country. On the way there I noticed a doe crossing the highway so I decided to slow down and cautiously continue my drive. Just as I had started slowing down I was hit by a buck on the driver side door. Hearing glass shatter and my friend scream was something that I will never forget. Thankfully we were both wearing our seatbelts and physically safe, however, my nerves were shot and my instincts took over. I needed to be sure that we were clear from any secondary harm or danger. I remembered learning in my Drivers ed class that the next step to take in an emergency situation is to move the vehicle to a safe location off of the road and call for help. While we were waiting for help to arrive, I checked for any fluids leaking from the vehicle. After my father came to confirm that there were no leaking fluids or tire damage, I was able to safely drive us home. I am very thankful for the skills that I learned from my Driver’s Education class that kept me level-headed and may have potentially saved my friend and I.

The importance of Driver’s Education is something many people today take for granted. The Drivers ed class begins with basic fundamentals of driving, including the knowledge of signs inside and outside of your vehicle, defensive and offensive driving techniques, and emergency preparedness skills. It is with that knowledge that I was able to safely handle my own accident. Being involved in the class has helped me become a safer driver on the road and taught me skills that I apply in my everyday driving. If everyone used this knowledge in their own everyday driving we could significantly reduce the number of car and motorcycle related accidents and deaths.

Along with the class, the constant and most important step that is often overlooked is wearing a helmet or wearing your seatbelt at all times. Being a part of a family where a loved one passed away due to lack of motorcycle safety truly brings my attention to both motorcycle safety and car safety. It’s not only important that motorcyclists wear a helmet but also wear the appropriate clothing which includes closed toed shoes and clothing that covers and protects your skin. Another step we can all take to become better and safer drivers is to not use our cellular devices while driving. One in every four car accidents are caused by texting and driving.

Many people today see driving as a simple task and take the inherent dangers for granted, or are simply not aware of them at all. This mindset is such a large contributing factor in far too many vehicle accidents and deaths. Driver’s Education teaches the skills needed to make us all better drivers, consciously and instinctively. With these skills we can keep the safety of our friends, family, and other road-goers as our number one priority.