Name: Maisie Laurence
From: Tempe, AZ
Votes: 0
When
I first started driving, I, like so many others, experienced a lot of
anxiety about being behind the wheel. This was not because I was
afraid I would be a bad driver, but because of the number of people I
had seen texting while driving. In high school, I heard a truly
terrible story about a girl who died in a car crash as a result of
drunk driving. Her mom was the one telling the story, and even though
she had told the story hundreds of time, she still wept. Almost
everyone I know has known someone who was in a car crash, or was in
one themselves. One of my best friends got in a car crash right in
front of my high school. Her sister was driving, and they were
stopped at a red light. When the light turned green and they began to
cross the intersection, a car attempting to run the light ran into
them. Thankfully, neither of them were seriously injured, but ever
since that day, I have been significantly more aware of my safety
while driving.
Distracted
driving kills thousands of people every year. 6 million car crashes
occur every year, meaning about 16,000 crashes occur every day.
Traffic accidents take the lives of about 34,000 individuals every
year, injuring about 2 million. This means about 90 people die every
day as a result of a car crash. And the worst part about these
statistics? They are completely preventable.
The
steps to take to reduce the number of deaths and injuries are quite
simple. First, turn off your phone, or at least silence it while
driving. If your phone does not alert you to a text or notification
while you are driving, you will not feel the need to look at it. Even
just glancing at your phone can result in an accident. Second, wear
your seatbelt. It is astonishing to me how many people do not wear
seatbelts. Seatbelts save thousands of lives every year, including my
friend’s.
Third, don’t drive drunk. This is another feat that astounds me. If
you drink, make sure you have a designated driver, or are at least
able to stay the night at a friend’s house where you are drinking.
Being
educated on the importance of driving can save lives, including your
own. If you have not been educated on the importance of driver’s
safety, I encourage you to do so as soon as possible. Not only are
you protecting yourself, you are protecting everyone else on the
road. Help make the world a better place by practicing safe driving.
