When I turned 16 I remember being excited about the possibility of receiving my learner’s permit and later my driver’s license. I knew it was important for teens to go through a Distracted Driver’s Course to understand the risks and dangers of driving better. It’s beneficial to take this course before getting behind the wheel because it allows the students to gain confidence by learning defensive driving techniques, understand how alcohol and drugs can impair their driving, and reduce the number of deaths that are caused by car accidents.

One of the most valuable lessons I learned during the Distracted Drivers course was the effects of technology and how it can divert your attention from the road. Looking down at your phone to check an email, text, or social media post makes you less aware of your driving and can cause an accident. In the state of Arizona, a Salt River police officer was conducting traffic when he was struck by a driver suspected of texting while driving, an absolutely unforgettable and terrible event. This incident caused the Arizona legislature to pass a law that banned cell phone usage while driving, which makes perfect sense considering the event mentioned above.

Another step that can be taken to reduce the number of car-related deaths is wearing a seatbelt. A seatbelt can be the difference between life and death, they are sometimes seen as accessories but can keep you safe in an accident, such as the one I experienced in 2020. It was late afternoon on August 17, the first day of online learning for my brother and me. We still wanted to experience getting picked up after school, so we asked our dad to pick us up from “school” and drive us around the neighborhood.
We were discussing our first day of online schooling and sharing our experience with our Dad. We came to an intersection and were waiting for the light to turn green, when the light finally changed we began to move forward, and then I felt this huge impact. I blacked out for a few seconds and when I regained consciousness all I saw around me was white and I thought I had died. Fortunately for me, this white facade was only there due to the airbags inflating, which also deserves credit toward saving my life and protecting me from fatal injuries, much like the seatbelts.

Slowly I began to realize what had occurred and my first reaction was to check on my younger brother who was sitting in the front passenger seat, I wanted to make sure he was okay and did not suffer major injuries. Our Dad then looked at both of us and asked us if we were ok, he got out of the car and took my brother out first, then he came to the back of the car and helped me out. When I saw the wreck of the car, I was in utter shock that we were alive, I knew then that our lives were saved because all three of us were wearing our seatbelts. If my brother wasn’t wearing a seatbelt then he would have been ejected from his car seat out onto the road, the seatbelts were the barrier between staying in the car and being flung out. After being taken to the E.R. the doctor told us that we were lucky to have walked out of there with only scratches and bruises.

Taking a Distracted Driver course and having been in an accident taught me valuable lessons on how to advocate responsible driving. Driver education should be a mandatory course that all teens should take before obtaining their learner's permit and license, by doing so provides invaluable knowledge on how to be a better driver. I believe that this would help reduce the number of teen accidents and fatalities among my generation,

Now, as I am preparing to get my license and become a full-time driver I am more aware of the dangers of driving and all the distractions around us. I am committed to not being a distracted driver and paying attention to the road, other drivers, pedestrians, and unexpected road hazards. I will be a responsible driver by never drinking and driving, and never putting myself and others at risk, also making sure that I and any of my passengers are always wearing a seatbelt to prevent any deaths. To do all of this, I personally believe that the Distracted Drivers course does an exceptional job of executing and displaying those skills to become a cautious driver.