It happened so fast. One day he was here, the next he was not. I did not know him; he went to an entirely different school than I. Yet, his name rang within our halls for weeks. He was in our grade, getting ready to graduate later that year. We all had a shocking realization that any of us could have been in the same situation. Throughout my time in high school, I watched as other schools lost students. Some were unavoidable; it was clear the driver could not have done anything. And then there were those that could have been stopped if the young student had taken a moment to think. Think about the consequences of their actions. Do I really need to check the text right this second? Should I really drive drunk or angry? If they had taken just a second, they might all still be here. Any number of steps could be taken to try and reduce the number of driver-related deaths; however, it is ultimately up to the driver to make his or her own decisions in regard to driving. In high school, everyone believes they are invincible. It is not until it is too late that they realize they are not.
Road to reality was an eye opener. While no, none of our classmates were truly harmed, the performances of each of the actors struck a chord within all of us. Those that had set it up recruited our fellow classmates, dressed them up, and put on one of the most terrifying and heart-wrenching shows we had ever seen. We were taken through the thought process of a young girl who, through a serious of poor decisions, lost everything. Her friends, her future. I had never seen so many students brought to tears as our own friends were shown before us, covered in blood as they were loaded into an ambulance. It was not real, but it sure felt like it was.
I do everything in my power to be a safe driver. Although I am 20, it has taken a lot longer for me to pursue my license. I lived in fear of the road for several years, deciding it was safer to simply not drive. It was a stupid idea, of course, and am past that now. I keep the thought that I am not invincible in the back of my mind at all times. I control any potential road rage, as hard as it may be at times, and I never drive as if I am in a hurry. Yes, I could know all of the textbook rules for driving, but in the end, those will not save me. Educating young and upcoming drivers that they too are not indestructible, and that their lives can be endangered is important. Otherwise, the thought that “it won’t happen to me” may linger, and it will be too late when they realize that it can.