Name: Kalia Lee
From: Oakdale, MN
Votes: 0
I remember the night my life flashed before my
eyes. It was a snowy December night when my family and I were in the
car heading home. The roads were not only covered in snow but also
sheeted with ice. We were next to the fastest lane on the freeway and
I took note of how slow everyone was going. All of a sudden, from the
corner of my eye, I saw a car zoom down the fast lane. I was just
about to open my mouth to say something to my family when the zooming
car suddenly slid right in front of our car and proceeded to slide
across all four lanes on the freeway up onto a hill. Everything
happened in slow motion. I could feel my heart thudding out of my
chest. We could have died. We were not injured. We got so lucky. Had
we driven slightly faster, the car would have hit us. Everyone near
the scene was lucky. No one was injured and the zooming car even
landed upright on the hill.
That
type of reckless driving could have caused serious injuries and even
deaths. There are numerous other types of reckless driving that may
not be as intense as this, but the results are still the same.
There
has been action taken to reduce the possibility of car deaths such as
various laws, PSA videos and freeway signs reminding drivers to be
safe. However, safe driving is a choice made by the driver. That is
why I believe that the number one thing that can be done to make
people safer drivers is educating them on dangerous driving.
If
PSA videos were shown as much as TV commercials, then millions of
people will constantly be reminded about how crucial safe-driving is.
The videos will have to use logical, ethical and emotional appeals.
If we look at commercials, the most effective ones are those that
make sense, have a reliable source, and stir emotion. These PSA
videos should be shown on channel programs during commercial breaks
and work as ads on social media. That way, a large population will be
exposed to these PSA’s and truly see how terrifying dangerous
driving is.
As
someone who drives, I can become a safer driver by always keeping my
eyes on the road and staying focused when I am driving. When I am a
passenger, I can help the driver be safer by being an extra set of
eyes and being helpful. An example of this is giving the driver
directions along with the GPS if we need directions so that the
driver won’t have to constantly look at the GPS and become
distracted.
It’s
mind-boggling how with one small, stupid, careless decision you make,
a life–or even multiple lives–can end. My life could have ended
that December night on the freeway but I got exceptionally lucky. Not
everyone is this lucky. Choose to be a safe driver. The world needs
you.
