The
Regrets of Unsafe Driving

Every
morning, 115 million people in the United States get in a car and
head to work. Students, employees, families and friends are all
affected by driving each and every day. However, how many of these
drivers are fully focused and practicing safe driving methods? In
today’s society, safe driving is far from the norm. To say that I
am the exception of the statistics would be a lie.


I
left my house to go teach a drum lesson, just like I do every Tuesday
and Thursday. I missed the turn to my student’s house, and in an
attempt to find a new route, I became extremely lost in a maze of
neighborhood roads. I stopped in front of a random house, checked the
map on my phone, and decided I needed to take a left at the next stop
sign. I put my phone away and continue driving. I stopped at the
sign, looked left, looked right, but as I began to turn left, a car
came over the hill to my left and drove in front of me. I slammed on
my breaks, but my reaction was too late. I hit his wheel with the
front corner of my car. The crash was so minor that no airbags were
engaged, but the incident will never be forgotten. I still wonder if
I had been too focused on finding the right house that I paid less
attention to my driving than I would have in a normal situation.
Although my music and my phone were both turned off, my mind was
elsewhere, focused on my destination instead of my path.
My
car accident, as well as many others, was preventable. There are many
steps that we, both as a society and as individuals, can take to
create more responsible driving practices. The first step is through
the education of students. Teaching students who do not yet have
their licenses can prevent dangerous driving before it even happens.
However, it is still important to educate current drivers. Many
people do not realize the dangers of driving irresponsibly, but by
sharing our stories of the pain caused by dangerous driving, we can
help prevent others from experiencing the heartbreak of potentially
fatal car accidents. Dangerous driving, especially to teenagers, may
seem enjoyable and harmless, but it is simply not worth the risk. By
educating others and encouraging our peers to drive safely, we can
each do our part in creating a culture was safe driving is no longer
the exception; it is the expectation.
After
my accident, my car was never fixed. At first, I was annoyed at the
mark that I knew may never go away, but today, I am grateful. The
scar beside my front headlight serves as the perfect reminder to
never drive while distracted.