The Dangers of Unsafe Driving

Panic closed my throat as I stared terrified at the picture of my cousin's car crash, thoughts racing through my mind. The crumpled totaled car had me frantically wondering if she was okay. I waited all day for news of my cousin, and it consumed my thoughts. When I got home that day, I discovered that she was alright and it would just take her a couple weeks to recover from the whiplash. That is an example among thousands around the world of how someone could lose a loved one due to distracted or reckless driving. A life could end just like that. 

 

Teaching new drivers the risks that come along with the responsibility of driving can prevent accidents like these. If someone is uneducated, they do not understand that the lives of everyone around them is at stake. It's like handing someone a key and not explaining how to use it. If we take the time to teach people to properly drive safely and manage out of control situations to the best of their ability, we can save so many lives. We need to teach how to avoid crashes by not being distracted, drinking, tired, or on technology. A way to make the message really stick is showing the consequences of unsafe driving habits. When I was learning to drive, I was shown gruesome images of car crashes and devastating stories of death because of careless drivers. Yes it scared me, but it was also a lesson that is still in my head today as I get in my car every morning. If we discipline every driver with these kinds of messages, I believe the road will become a safer place. 

 

Reducing driving risks takes effort. We could start by implementing tips and tricks on how to be safe in driving education classes in addition to an explanation of the consequences. This can be done in many ways, like showing videos of crashes and people's experiences or having speakers come into the class and sharing their personal experiences and how it could have been prevented. For example, there was a video in my class that showed how a girl lost half of her face due to drinking and driving. The gory and depressing picture implanted itself into my brain, serving as a constant reminder of why I need to remain above my ego. A step that everyone can accomplish in their everyday life is advising their friends and family to drive safely and speaking up if they see reckless behavior. Combining these steps can lead to a more educated population of drivers and inform people of everyday risks and how to prevent them. 

 

I have had a various number of friends and family that have been in car accidents and one that has died from drunk driving. I have also had multiple experiences of irresponsible driving. I was in a car with a family member, and we were rushing to get to an event on time. I noticed that the driver was being a bit reckless, changing lanes and following people. I had them take a deep breath and reminded them that it didn’t matter if we got to the event in time if we got in a car crash. There was another instant where my friends and I were going to the gas station at night and we had to take two separate cars due to the group size. They started trying to race against each other and even though there was no one around, it didn’t feel safe. I asked the driver to slow down and focus on the road not caring if I was spoiling the fun. These experiences and stories could be prevented if people understood the risk of irresponsible driving and stayed aware. 

 

Change starts with one person. If I take steps to be a safer driver and encourage others around me to do the same, it can turn into a domino effect that will have many people making an effort to be a more responsible driver. This can start by always being cautious and paying attention while driving, having a motto around me to remind myself that bad things can happen if you are a reckless driver, and following the rules of the road as well as trusting that they are there for a reason. I can point out that safe driving is essential to stop the amount of car accidents that happen every day around the world by bringing public awareness to the issue with fundraising among other things. If I can help people become aware of the dangers of unsafe driving, I can influence and educate others to do what it takes. 

 

Proactive hazardous avoidance should be the goal of every driver on the road. It is important to educate people, so they understand why it is important to be safe. If we all put forward the effort to encourage ourselves and others to pay attention to our surroundings and follow the rules, we can be the reason a life is saved.