Name: Ashley Baldwin
From: Mansfield, MA
Votes: 0
Currently,
car crashes are the leading cause of death in the U.S. 1/3 of these
crashes are caused by alcohol and 1/4 of every accident is caused by
texting. These facts should concern everyone, because for most,
driving is a part of our daily lives.
On
Snapchat, I see people taking videos or pictures while driving. This
risk should never be taken just to “look cool” for social media.
They’re putting their own lives, other drivers, and pedestrians in
danger. Distracted driving is a major concern but there are steps to
take to reduce the distractions. Your focus should be on driving;
your eyes should be on the road and not on your phone. You may think
it’ll only take a second to make a text or reroute the GPS, but all
it takes is that one second to cause a fatal accident. Pulling over
is the best option. Having friends in the car can be fun idea unless
they distract you into a wreck. The driver has the right to tell
passengers to quiet down and the passengers must respect the driver.
Additionally, you shouldn’t eat while driving, it takes your hands
off the wheel. If you’re absolutely ravished, you can pull over to
eat. When you’re driving, focus on driving.
Impaired drivers are a big source for driving
related deaths. Before going out, you should plan transportation
accordingly, never let yourself or anyone else drive under the
influence. Uber and Lyft are great apps to have on your phone just in
case you need a ride. If you see a friend who’s trying to drive
impaired, you should offer them a ride home or if you’re impaired
yourself, call them a cab. Alcohol and drugs aren’t the only roots
of impaired driving, tiredness is another consideration. If you’re
tired, you should pull over and sleep, it’s not worth dosing at the
wheel.
Once,
I was driving on the highway while it was snowing, and I passed three
accidents within 10 miles of each other. It’s important to always
look ahead about weather when you hear a storm is coming so you can
drive before or after the storm. It’s better to avoid driving in
extreme weather, however if you must, you need to drive slowly, and
be prepared for others to drive slowly. When it begins to rain, oils
on the road make it slick, and during the cold months, black ice is
invisible. If your car is to skid, direct the steering wheel in the
direction of the skid. I once drove to school in icy conditions and I
pulled out too fast, so my car began to veer off the road. Luckily, I
remembered this advice and was able to avoid skidding into the trees.
I
am extremely lucky to have never been a part of a fatal car accident
and I’ll continue taking steps to drive safer. Also, I’ll spread
awareness and education to others of how to become safer on the road.
