THE IMPORTANCE OF DRIVER SAFETY
Thomas Matthews

“Leave Sooner, Drive Slower, Live Longer.” Is a phrase Most people would agree with. The truth is almost everyone knows about the danger of driving. But too many people think that is not for them to worry about because bad things only happen to other people right? Wrong. According to Darrigo and Diaz, there are over 6 million passenger car accidents in the U.S. annually. This makes Road crashes the leading cause of Death in the United States with 38,000 people losing their life per year. This is a huge problem and should be treated as such. I have learned much about driving safety in my life both from personal experience in serious circumstances and from the wise advice of my parents. Driving safely is not just protecting yourself it is protecting those around you, it is making the world a better place for all involved.

Learning to drive is a very important time in a person's life. It's at that moment that our parents must let us go and allow us to take a possible “death machine” onto the road, putting ourselves and others in danger. This is why I am very thankful to my parents for the way they handled it, starting me off in the parking lot learning the motions, to turn, park, and back up. All the important things that you don't want to mess up on on the real road. After graduating from the parking lot I got to drive through the neighborhood, and after mastering that drive on the real roads. Some people love to say that letting them “figure it out" at the moment is best but I disagree with that, safety first is always best. Gradually building up not only ensures protection but also gives the driver more confidence as they know what to expect and are more prepared to tackle the challenges of the road. There have been many personal experiences in my life that have led me to ponder this topic quite extensively.

I have been in two car accidents in my life, both of which thankfully I was left unscathed. One was my sister's car getting rear-ended on the road and another was my brother's car slipping on the ice and turning into oncoming traffic. It is at that moment that time stops, you no longer have control, you are flipping, slipping, or crashing off the road and you can do nothing about it. In the first accident as I have already mentioned I did not suffer any injuries but my sister had serious damage to her neck causing her to have to wear a neck brace for months. This made me think more about driving safety and its importance. When I was a little bit older I experienced that even the smallest mistakes in driving can have huge consequences. This leads me to the two other accidents in my life that impacted me.

In my freshman year of high school, I lost one of my friends to a car accident. He was driving to work one morning when he was smashed between two semi-trucks. It was later discovered that the truck driver was watching videos on his phone while he was driving. This is a devastating example of what reckless driving can do. I know that many people have and will continue to use their phones in their cars and will have no consequences, but many will not be so lucky. It's the sad truth. It was not only this singular event in my high school years that affected me. The next year one of my friends was killed and another one critically injured in a four-wheeler accident. Although this accident was not driving a car, it still shows the importance of driving safely and carefully. I can attest that if the driver of the four-wheeler had been more careful my friend would still be here today. It is a very sad topic but it must be talked about for the sake of the safety of all. Even the smallest distractions such as a text or switching your song could lead to lasting consequences.

This leads me to my final point, the importance of paying attention while driving.
The NHTSA data reveals that 1.1 million accidents result from cell phones. That's almost 30 percent of accidents. This is a huge number because it shows a way to seriously limit the amount of car crashes. Pay attention while you drive. Sounds simple doesn't it? If drivers would just pay more attention to the road and not look at their phones then we could limit 30 percent of accidents. This is the reason that I limit phone use to directions and encourage others to do so as well. Very simple things can make huge changes. Trust me there is no reason to be texting while driving. You can wait a few minutes or pull over if it is an emergency. I hope that this inspires you my dear reader to keep your eyes off your phone and focus on the road.

In conclusion, safe driving is about protecting yourself and others. I have learned much in my life that has led me to advocate for safe driving. Whether it be the smaller car crashes I was a part of or the devastating accidents that my friends passed away in, they were all accidents and accidents can be avoided by being careful. I encouraged all drivers to try to focus while driving and keep their eyes on the road. This way we can make the road safer for everyone and make the world a happier and better place.