For teenagers, driving is always exciting and new, but it can also be very dangerous. It is important to always be attentive while driving, because even getting distracted for a second could cost you your life. In June of 2022, my brother’s best friend lost his life in a fatal car accident. While he was driving, he crossed over the double yellow lines and hit another car head on. He was rushed to the hospital and was pronounced dead. His death caused immense pain to everyone, especially my brother. They both had just graduated high school and were planning on going to college. It’s scary how fast someone’s life can be taken away. This is the exact reason why I truly believe it is important to always be attentive while driving. Some people may not think it is a big deal, but the amount of people that have died from being distracted and driving proves otherwise. You never fully know the impact of it until you lose someone close to you. Due to the loss of those I have known, this topic holds a lot of meaning for me.
It is incredibly important that drivers are aware and educated on safety and alertness while driving. Many young drivers are overconfident in their driving, and this leads to a higher crash rate and reckless driving. Education should be provided to young drivers on how to stay safe on the roads, such as avoiding distractions, wearing seatbelts, and following the speed limit. Additionally, young drivers should be taught the importance of staying alert and being aware of other drivers. No matter how safe you think you are, you should always be aware of what's going on around you. According to research made by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2015, having a driver’s education reduces the number of fatal accidents and violations, especially among younger drivers.
Young drivers can stay safe when they understand the rules of the road and apply defensive driving techniques. They can become more confident in their abilities with regular practice and education, and being aware could ultimately save their life in any road situation. There are various ways to prevent reckless driving, one being education on driving under the influence. This is a topic that is brought up a lot to teens and young drivers, but it is either not fully understood or followed. Every day, about 37 people die in drinking and driving related crashes. Younger drivers are more likely to be involved in drunk driving wrecks because they are more confident in their driving abilities. Peer pressure plays a significant role in this, because if their friends are driving under the influence, or even drinking to begin with, they are more likely to do the same. Everyone should be properly educated and warned about this. It could and will save their lives.
Being in high school and driving to school with my friend, I have experienced multiple accidents over the course of a few months. The student parking lot at my school is full of reckless and inattentive drivers. Once I was walking to my friend’s car, and as I was about to walk between two cars to cross the lot, one of the cars suddenly started moving and slammed into the back of the other. I saw the whole thing happen, and the girl in the car behind the other was not paying attention and was on her phone, resulting in the accident. This could have been so easily avoided if she was attentive and educated on the distractions that should be ignored. Another accident I witnessed was very recent, and could have been avoided easily if my friend wasn’t distracted. As she was parking, she stepped on the gas instead of the brakes, resulting in her car slamming into the guardrail. Education and practice is so important, especially among new drivers. These two accidents, though minor, could have been way more fatal.
There are many things I could do to become a better and safer driver. One would be to take a defensive driving course. This would help me understand how to react in certain situations while driving, in a way that is safe for me and those around me. Not knowing how to react in these situations could cause the possibility of an accident to increase. I also always follow the traffic laws. They are there for a reason, and that reason is to keep you and others safe. As for helping others on the road, I would always encourage people to not drive under the influence and have a designated driver if they are planning on drinking. Also, unless you are using your phone for directions, there is no need for it to be out. I always tell my friends to keep it somewhere where they know it won't be a distraction, because whatever notification they receive while driving will be there when they park and turn the car off. No text is worth someone’s life.