Steps
that I can take to be a better and safer driver as well as help
others become safer on the road include preventing phones from being
a distraction, being cautious about who I’m driving, and being a
defensive driver.

Phones
are a huge distraction today for so many, especially for drivers. As
a driver, I do not want to put myself or others on the road in danger
by being on my phone. I also try to have my passengers put their
phones away when I’m driving. This helps so that if I don’t see
something dangerous on the road, then the passengers can be looking
out and help me so that I can be aware of a dangerous situation on
the road. When I am at a red light and there is a car in front of me
that does not proceed when the light turns green, I assume they are
most likely on their phone. This is annoying and bothersome to other
drivers and wasteful of their time. Also, the cars behind them might
just go because they assume the car in front of them is going when
the light turns green. Also, if drivers get distracted on their phone
they can easily swerve into oncoming traffic and cause a huge crash.

As
a driver, I don’t drive certain people because they are not a good
influence on me as a driver. My parents have set up rules about who I
can and cannot drive for their safety, as well as mine. Recently, my
respect for that rule has increased, because I had to drive a couple
of crazy and out of control passengers for a school activity and I
did not feel safe at all. People like this, are often really good at
persuading others to do things for them that may not be wise or safe.
I often find it hard to say no, but once I get in the car I soon
realize I don’t want to be in that scary situation. It’s really
hard to drive people who are extremely distracting. I look back and
remember those experiences and now it’s easier for me to say no to
them when they ask again.

Being
a defensive driver can save lives because some drivers are really
dangerous and therefore it’s important to be able to avoid those
accidents waiting to happen. My Dad has told me from the start that
being a defensive driver is extremely important. Since I’ve been
driving, I’ve noticed more and more how being a defensive driver
has been crucial! For example, I’ve had to brake hard a couple of
times, because cars go flying out of their driveways without checking
first. Also, if I’m at a four way stop and another car stops at the
same time as me, I wave them on to go before me. When I’m driving
and I see a car going extremely over the speed limit, I chose to move
to avoid getting hit.