Saving Lives One Driver At A Time

Being on the road is something most everyone is familiar with. Many get so used to it that they tend to forget the implications of what one wrong move on the road could turn into. I always thought I knew the importance of driver education, but it wasn’t until I almost lost my life, in two car accidents this summer, that I really understood. Understanding how the rules of the road work can be very crucial to beginner and experienced drivers so that they can be aware that simple mistakes can turn into life or death. When we choose to drive in any public setting, we not only have the power to harm ourselves, but others as well. It is crucial that all drivers know what they are doing when operating any vehicle. By having more thorough education in driving we can set a stronger foundation for safety on the road.

It saddens me that so many Americans lose their lives to car accidents each year. I think it would be very beneficial to beginner drivers to take driver education more seriously. Taking the driver education course can help many beginner drivers learn the way of the road. I understand that these courses can be expensive, and I think that states should provide more grants to low-income families so that their children can get the best driver education. No amount of time or money should get in the way of young drivers learning the importance of safety when being behind the wheel.

As mentioned earlier, I never knew that one mistake while driving can lead to a very traumatic event. On June 15^th, 2023, my family was on a road trip to visit family in Arizona. I had a bad habit of not wearing my seat belt because I never thought I would need one. I was wrong that night. It was 4:30 A.M. and I was curled up in the back seat waking up in midair before forcefully hitting my back on the top of the car. My boyfriend had fallen asleep at the wheel. In this moment I thought that I and everyone in the car wasn’t going to make it out alive. We had flown off the highway into a desert in New Mexico with the cruise control set to 75. We tumbled at least three times hitting a large rock and tree. I had never felt so much fear and pain in my life, but once the car had stopped moving I felt so thankful that we were all somehow intact. Many people do not make it out of a severe crash like that and I will never not cherish the loved ones I have, and I will thank God every day. We all could have lost our lives in a matter of seconds just because of one accidental mistake.

There has been nothing in my life that has ever felt like that car accident, and I would never want anyone to go through something like that. It is so important to not drive while tired. Road trips are fun, but if you or a loved one is tired, your life and the lives of others is not worth the risk so please pull over. I know that seat belts can be annoying, but I know firsthand what it is like to be in an accident without one. Because I made that mistake I now have four fractures in the thoracic region of my spine, and I am lucky to still be able to walk. In addition, I broke my big toe severely, so I am awaiting to get an interphalangeal joint fusion soon. Please wear your seat belt and make sure that all passengers in your vehicle are wearing theirs. It has been almost 3 months since that day, and I am still healing. I would have been more healed, however, while driving through an intersection a women failed to stop at the stop sign and hit the driver side door at 55 mph. This happened not even two months after the first wreck. I was in the passenger seat and my boyfriend was driving. Luckily, we are fine, but his car was totaled. He broke his femur, and my back pain and fractures were worsened. I did however remember to wear my seat belt. I think we both would have ended up through the windshield if we hadn’t been wearing one. Once again, we got very lucky. Going through these wrecks has changed my life and I want others to take these stories into consideration when getting behind the wheel.

There is a high chance that my loved ones and I would not have survived both wrecks. I have made it my mission to preach the importance of safety on the road. Never forget your seat belt, always look in both directions, make sure you signal, always be aware of your surroundings, and please never drive under the influence. I was a little afraid to get back into a car after the first wreck and I was even more terrified to get back in after the second wreck. What I have had to remind myself is driving is a luxury. We have the ability to get from point a to point b with hardly any effort. Driving is a great thing, and it can remain a great thing if we all share our knowledge and experiences so that others do not make the same mistakes and so that others can learn how to be a safer driver. Lastly, always look where you are going and always look around at your surroundings. Anything can happen so stay focused while on the road. Be safe out there!