Y'all Drive Safe Now Ya Hear!

Fanning 2

Brianna Fanning

Drive Safe Essay

November 30 2019

Y’all Drive Safe Now Ya Hear!

Just a few days ago, my younger brother turned 16 years old and under North Carolina law, received his limited provisional license. In order to qualify, he completed a mandatory seated class and behind the wheel instructed drive times. After a year of holding a permit, he was able to take another supervised driving test at our local DMV. Thankfully, and to my amazement, he passed with flying colors. New drivers hit the roads without parental supervision with excitement and limited self control. Paired with little parental supervision and newfound freedom, this privilege can have disastrous outcomes.

That is why drivers ed is so important and necessary to reduce the number of deaths caused as a result of driving. Learning the rules of the road, proper car maintenance, and successful driving strategies all act as a solid foundation for new drivers.Current drivers ed courses feature instructional videos preaching the need to avoid texting while driving but in reality, have little effect on behavior. I see this first hand when riding with my friends and family. Most people rarely think twice about responding to a text or answering their phone...putting their lives as well as everyone else’s on the line. I witnessed the result of texting and driving on September 3, 2018. My best friend, Cayla, was on her way to my home when she decided to respond to a job opportunity via text. While attempting to multitask on the highway, she was in a severe car accident that shattered both femurs and caused a brain hematoma. First responders were quick to the scene and doctors managed to save her legs. The thought that she almost lost her legs to reply to a text continues to act as a guiding light every time I enter a vehicle.

Sadly, most people need more motivation and incentive to drive safely. Over the years, as the number of casualties due to phone use continually increase, phone manufacturers need to become more proactive in tackling this social issue. Steps such as deactivating non-urgent SMS text, phone calls, and all social media could drastically reduce deaths relating to driving. This could only be achieved through a partnership between Mark Zuckerburg, Apple, Samsung, and top cellular companies. While there are currently apps that offer monetary rewards for leaving cell phones locked while driving, this is only a first step toward fixing widespread unsafe driving practices.

In the meantime, I can do my part by actively urging my friends and family to put the phone away and focus on being a safe and attentive driver.