Who Is At Fault: Safety Behind and Beyond the Wheel

I will never forget my first car accident; it was a summer night, my father in the car accompanying me to my first-ever college interview. As I was anxiously letting my mind wander off, wondering how I could do my best, it was time to make a turn that turned my life around as well. As I was making this left onto the street that cuts across traffic, there was a car coming on. I thought I had enough time, but before my dad could finish yelling at me, the oncoming car hit the back of my car. Immediately, I fell into panic, not knowing what to do while my father continued to yell at me. While sobbing and shaking with fear, I then pulled over, relieved to find out everyone in the other car was safe and unharmed. That day forever changed my life, as it taught me the importance of being aware of my surroundings, but furthermore that it is important to have a safe environment as a driver, as I noted into the turn; if my father had not begun to scream, I would have completed the turn, albeit still too close for comfort. I fully recognize it was my fault, and this car accident was the beginning of my re-introduction to safe driving. 

            When people hear distracted driving, they often think of the reason universally recognized by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration: cell phone use. However, it’s important to remember that distracted driving comes in multiple formats, as seen with my own car accident. Had I been more focused on the road rather than my destination, I could have avoided a situation that I was lucky enough not to cause any bodily harm to all parties involved. It is important to recognize where you, as a driver, can improve, as you are the one in control, so you must own up to the fact that every action you make can affect so many people around you, both behind the wheel and not. Driver’s education highlights the need to keep both your mind AND actions open and aware of what is surrounding you, and as a driver you have to be conscious of not just yourself but of other people around you. Even if you may not be the person who is distracted, someone else might be, and that can affect their driving, leading to swerving and potential accidents involving you, even if it’s not your fault.             

            Additionally, it’s important to take that step beyond the wheel and remember that, as a passenger, your actions and requests can affect the driver too. Hitting or yelling at the driver, asking people to look at something on your phone for a quick moment, asking them to change the radio station in an age where many cars have screens instead of dials, and anything else that can deter the driver's focus are all actions that endanger the lives of everyone in the car. You have to keep in mind that just because you aren’t the one behind the wheel doesn’t mean you can’t influence the outcome of the ride. Try to be mindful that serious emotions or visuals you may want to express or share with the driver can often wait until after the ride, for your safety, theirs, and the people on and off the road around you too.  

            The best way to learn about topics like this is by taking driver’s education courses, specifically defensive driving courses. Defensive driving teaches you how to be more conscientious on the road, demonstrating how to safely navigate and handle your vehicle to avoid crashes and address tough situations. The earlier you take the course, the better, as you would rather know how to handle difficult driving situations before anything happens. Through driver’s education like this, the number of deaths could be reduced, as the more educated people are about the dangers of the road, both as a passenger and a driver, the more aware they can be of their actions while in a vehicle, leading to a world of safe, focused driving. Therefore, you must always remember safety doesn’t just come from being at the wheel, but outside of it as well, and that through educating yourself, you can make a difference in being another safe driver, on an even safer road thanks to your new knowledge. Thank you for taking the time to become a little more educated about safe driving through my story, and I hope you too can be aware as a driver and a passenger both behind and beyond the wheel.