Driver education is extremely important in reducing the number of car related deaths. Every year, many lives are taken due to uneducated drivers. People tend to forget the rules of the road as soon as their driver's test is passed at a young age. Some of these forgotten rules are a major cause of careless car accidents, and many times, even resulting in fatality. That said, being educated on the rules of the road can help make for safer roads, and as crazy as it sounds, it can even save lives. In 2022, there were 42,514 deaths from motor vehicle crashes in the United States. A lot of these deaths were just careless mistakes: drunk driving, texting while driving, and distracted driving, just to name a few. All of these things listed can be prevented and avoided. Drunk drivers can choose to get an uber, people who are tempted to text can pull over or wait until they get home, distracted drivers can choose to wait to complete the task. It is important that we as drivers take responsibility and hold ourselves accountable for driving safely in all circumstances. This can protect not only our lives, but the lives of others around us. On October 25, 2024, I got in a terrible car accident, resulting in a totaled car. After late night dance practice, I was on the way to my dads house, 45 minutes away. Before I left, my dance teachers said, “Be safe.” I thought nothing of this statement, thinking I would obviously be safe. Little did I know I was about to be in an awful wreck. I was borrowing my sister's car which was already very unfamiliar to me. I was also driving on unfamiliar roads, as the route I was taking from dance to my dads house was not my normal one. I was driving distracted and looking down for something in my center console when I should’ve been keeping my eyes on the road. When I looked up, the car in front of me was stopped and waiting to turn left. I floored the brakes. In my car, flooring the brakes would’ve made my car come quickly to a full stop, but my sister's brakes were unfamiliar, and her car needed a lot more time to come to a stop than my own car would have. The car just kept moving, hardly even slowing down. As I approached the car in front of me, I swerved, trying to avoid hitting the car, but I was too late and the entire front left side of my car rear ended the car in front of me. My car swerved off to a side road in front of a house. Luckily, I did not hit other cars or the trees beside it. My front and side airbags went off, hitting me in the chest. The airbags hurt and expelled some dust and metal shrapnel, making my arm tingle. I immediately did a scan of my body, making sure I had no cuts or injuries. I was terrified. It didn’t feel real. At that moment I was not thinking straight, so instead of unlocking the door and getting out, I climbed out of the passenger side window. My window was blocked by the airbags. I looked for my phone on the floorboard and before calling 911, I called my mom. I was screaming, terrified. I thought I should’ve been dead. Soon after, the ambulance pulled up to the scene. They asked me if I was okay, but the only thing I could think about was if the lady I hit was okay. Thankfully, she was okay, and the damage done to her car was significantly less than mine. I felt so guilty that I totaled my sister's car and so guilty that I caused damage to someone else's, but my mom’s words stuck with me, “We can replace a car, we can’t replace you.” I am reminded everyday how lucky I was to walk away only with a busted lip, a concussion, and internal chest inflammation. It made me appreciate life more, because you never know when one decision you make can have fatal effects. Our insurance skyrocketed, so my parents thought it’d be best for me to attend an 8 hour driving class for a 4 point reduction. I listened thoroughly, and through this situation and class, I learned how to be a safer driver. I learned that driving distracted is a serious risk you take. Keeping full attention on the road is extremely detrimental to helping keep you and others safe on the roads. It’s also important to think about all of the rules of the road as you drive and just continue to remind yourself of these things. Being an educated driver will not only keep you safe, but ultimately make roads a safer place overall. By being educated, you can save a life.