It
was dark out as I drove home on a dark two-lane road with a 45mph
speed limit. After turning out of a neighborhood, I approached the
only signal; still shining green. An oncoming vehicle failed to yield
on their left turn and crossed over my lane. I slammed on my breaks,
but my car collided with the side of theirs. My first accident. No
one was injured, but I was still terrified. I got out of the car to a
young man who immediately asked, “was your light green?” alcohol
present on his breath.

Proper
driving education is the most critical element to becoming a safe
driver. But it should not just cover the basics. We all know to wear
seatbelts, only drive when sober, never use our phones— even at red
lights and stop signs, always check your mirrors and scan your blind
spots, use turn signals, and a thousand other things that hearing
them again is not going to change anything. One of the most effective
ways to promote safe driving is making young drivers aware of the
consequences, but this is an arduous task. We all suffer from egos
that tell us we know the consequences can be detrimental, even
deadly, but it would never happen to us. I was one of these people
too. I am relatively safe compared to my age group as I am never on
my phone and am not one of the people who finds it “cool” to see
who can drive the best with their knees. I even always slow down a
bit when oncoming traffic turns left across my lane even if they have
plenty of time. And yet, there I was standing next to my totaled car
on a cold January night.
Drivers
should not only be made more aware of the consequences, possibly by
being introduced to personal stories along with seeing visuals in
drivers ed, but they also need to learn more. When I was in my
accident, the only thing I knew that would be important to exchange
is license and insurance, but it can also be useful to see the other
driver’s registration for online reporting and can even be
beneficial for insurance purposes. Also, some people are unaware they
must take photos of the accident, including every car involved in the
accident. Additionally, to get your license, an emergency driver
course that teaches elements like changing a tire and even replicates
slick icy roads should be required. Classes like these are already
offered in many cities, but they are not a requirement. Plus, lacking
in vital knowledge, such as not being aware of what all of the
warning lights on your car mean, can be detrimental.

Driving
is so much more than focusing on the road. As a driver, you are in
charge and must take the safety of yourself and others seriously. So,
make safe choices and become as educated as possible when you are in
the driver’s seat.