So, a Deer Tried to Hitch a Ride

I have been pretty lucky when it comes to accidents. The closest I have come was when a deer ran into the side of my car. Yes, the deer hit me, not the other way around. Maybe it was trying to hitch a ride. Whatever its plan was, it scared me and left a pretty big dent in my car.

It also showed me how quickly something can happen when you are driving. I didn't have time to plan what I was going to do or think through how I should react. One second I was driving, and the next second there was a deer hitting the side of my car.

I have also been a passenger with friends and family members who make me a little nervous behind the wheel. I won't name names, but if I know someone isn't a great driver, I usually try to be the one who drives. I would much rather be in control of the car than sit in the passenger seat wondering why we are following someone so closely or why we need to get somewhere five minutes faster.

I think experiences like these are part of why driver education is so important. When you first start driving, there is so much to remember. You are trying to watch your speed, stay in your lane, check your mirrors, read signs, and figure out what every other person on the road is doing. Eventually, most of those things become automatic. That is good, but I also think getting too comfortable can be part of the problem. I think sometimes when we get too comfortable, we take for granted that we aren’t driving something that gets us from one place to another. We are driving a vehicle that can seriously hurt us or someone else. 

My perspective on this has also changed since becoming an EMT. I spent the summer between my freshman and sophomore years of college training to become a nationally certified EMT because I was considering a career in medicine and wanted actual experience caring for patients.

Being an EMT, you learn very quickly that emergencies don't come with warnings. Someone can be having a completely normal day, and within seconds everything changes. When we arrive at a scene, we don't always know exactly what happened or what caused it. Our job is to figure out what is going on, treat the person, and get them the help they need.

That has definitely changed how I think when I am driving. I am more aware of what is happening around me and probably more cautious than I used to be. It has also made me realize how little control I have over the other drivers around me. I can be paying attention and doing everything right while someone coming toward me is looking at a text, speeding, or simply not paying attention.

I think driver education can help reduce deaths, but only if we make it something people actually remember after they get their license. Most young drivers already know they shouldn't speed, text and drive, or drive after drinking. Simply telling them again probably isn't going to change much.

I think we need to make it more real.

Instead of only reading statistics, I think students should hear from people who have actually dealt with the aftermath of serious accidents. EMTs, firefighters, emergency-room staff, accident survivors, or families could talk about what they have experienced. It doesn't have to be graphic or designed to scare people- okay, maybe scare them a little. Hearing a real person talk about a real experience can stick with you much longer than another statistic.

I also like the idea of making driver education more hands-on. A simulator could show what happens when you look away for a few seconds or how much longer it takes to stop when you are speeding. You could even have students get out of the classroom and walk the distance a car travels while someone looks down at a phone. I think actually seeing that distance would make "I only looked down for a second" feel a lot different.

For me, being a better driver is probably less about doing one big thing and more about not letting myself get too comfortable. I still have to remind myself that the text can wait or that being a few minutes late isn't the end of the world. I can also say something when I'm in a car and someone's driving makes me uncomfortable. Or, as my friends and family already know, I can just volunteer to drive.

I don't think getting your license means you have finished learning how to drive. I have been driving for years, and a deer still managed to surprise me and leave a dent in my car. There will always be things on the road that we can't control.

The part we can control is what we do behind the wheel. I can't stop a deer from deciding it wants a ride, and I can't control every other driver on the road. But I can make sure I'm paying attention when either one comes my way.