Choices

“The content of your character is your choice. Day by day, what you choose, what you think, and what you do is who you become.” (Heraclitus). Every day we make thousands of choices, some more important than others. Getting in the car is one choice we fail to see as significant. We choose if and when we get into a car, as a passenger or a driver. You could be impaired, it could be raining, or it could be 5 o’clock traffic. All of these things should impact our choice of driving, but does American society believe that? Driving has been incredibly normalized in American Society over the past century. Almost every high schooler’s dream is to get their license and start driving. You can not get to work unless you have a car, or pay extra for an Uber. Our lives almost completely depend on cars and personal transportation. Even though our unhealthy dependency is bad, the real problem is reckless driving. People putting makeup on in the car, eating, taking phone calls, talking, and blaring music are all examples of normalized reckless driving. We see these in movies and TV shows, we see our parents do them, and we have Bluetooth systems in our cars promoting distraction. Little do we know, these small distractions and choices can make all the difference. The epidemic of car accidents requires us to recognize how we are personally impacted, take steps to prevent deaths, promote education, and become safer drivers.

The normalization of reckless driving can impact anyone personally. We always see the news of another car crash, and think that would never be us. However, that couldn’t be farther from the truth. When I was growing up, my mother loved to tell me stories about her brother, Tyler. They were best friends, did everything together and Tyler admired his big sister. Through the stories of adventures in the woods, mud pies, and plastic lightsaber fights, my mother knew she had to tell me the end of the story. When I was old enough, she told me how Tyler passed away. My grandma, grandpa, mother, and uncle Tyler were all in the car on the way to church one Sunday morning. Grandma put in her favorite Billy Joel CD and started driving. Windows down, music playing, on the way to church; they couldn’t have a care in the world, until turning from the backroads of Piedmont onto the highway. A sedan started to tailgate my family’s car. Then, he tried to pass my them, however, he changed lanes too quickly and hit a vehicle in his blind spot, going 65 miles per hour. Both cars spun out of control and hit my family’s car. This threw the car out into the woods next to the highway. My mother would talk about how she blacked out from panic when the first car got hit and came back to consciousness on the floorboard of the backseat, covered in blood. The ambulances saved my mom, grandma, and grandpa, but it was too late for Tyler. He died on impact of being hit. He was six years old. My mother got away with her life, barely. The scar of losing her only brother will stay with her forever. She was only nine years old. The significance of this story derives from the first driver, the one who ultimately caused the crash. He was driving under prescription medication and roughly one beer’s worth of alcohol in his bloodstream. Each of these things in themselves wouldn’t have been as dangerous as taking them together. This man’s choices, taking the medicine, having a beer, getting in the car, and driving on the highway ultimately caused this tragedy. Driving impaired is not only a risk for the driver but for everyone around them. No one thinks it will be them on the news, Morning Car Crash: Highway 86, but being on the road is a game of chance. Everyone has the same likelihood of being hit or killed on the road. While this epidemic is far from being solved, there are still ways to prevent accidents from happening.

The dependency on driving is an overall societal problem that requires big solutions. There are so many car accidents because of the excessive amount of people on the road. Public transportation and walkable cities have been dwindling in America for years. However, these are precisely the solutions that we need. In European countries, they rely heavily on walkable cities and public transportation. BigThink states, “Most EU member states have fewer than 80 road deaths per million people per year. Most U.S. states have more — and ten have at least double that figure.” This proves that public transportation is a successful way to prevent traffic deaths. Trains, trolleys, and buses are examples of reliable public transportation that have been working in other parts of the world for years. These modes of transportation are much more efficient and reliable than cars. Not only does it prevent deaths, but reduces pollution. The more we implement public transportation, the safer our nation will become. The car accident epidemic is a systemic problem as well as an individual problem. The only way to effectively ensure the transportation safety of citizens is to implement more public transportation options. Americans should advocate for public transportation, but it will take a long time to implement them. In the meantime, drivers should focus on ways they can personally make the roads safer, like becoming educated.

Education in defensive driving and other safety measures can ensure a better future for American drivers. Most people take the minimum amount of classes to get their license. Some people don’t even take classes at all or ignore them. However, extensive driver education is way more important than people might think. I waited until I was 18 to get my driver’s license, meaning I didn’t need to take a driving class. However, after passing a driving test, I enrolled myself in a defensive driving course. It was by far the most educational driving experience I have ever had. I heard first-hand experience with defensive driving and how to prevent reckless driving. I then shared the information I learned from the course with my family and friends to promote safe driving habits. The significance of this also ties into my prior point; Driving is a systematic problem. My eight-hour defensive driving course cost me 130 dollars out of my college student pocket. This is not accessible for people who just want to be educated and become a safer driver for themselves and the people around them. Education can help prevent deaths, so why isn’t education accessible for all? I think defensive driving courses should have lower prices, or even be taught in public schools. I implement the things I learned in the course every time I drive. It has helped me become a safer driver, and understanding the dangers of speeding and other forms of reckless driving has cautioned me behind the wheel. I feel safer driving knowing that I have the skills to prevent accidents, have full control of my vehicle, and know what to look for in predicting an accident. Driving courses are important to create safer, more confident drivers. I will share what I have learned through my experience and education to be a safer driver.

By taking driving courses and educating yourself you can become a safer, more responsible driver. Things that I have learned during my driving courses include routine car maintenance, knowing the dangers of impaired driving, and minimizing distractions. Checking your car for immediate maintenance problems is crucial before you drive. Every time before you start to drive, make sure your lights, wipers, breaks, and signals work properly. By doing so, we can prevent an accident before you even start driving. It is also critical to check your oil frequently, especially before long car rides, to ensure your car isn’t leaking or has old oil in it. It is important not to ignore signs your car is giving you, if your tire pressure signal is on, go to a gas station with air pumps as soon as possible. A quick five-minute check of your car’s main functions is a great habit to adopt and can keep you and the people around you safe.

Another important thing to learn is the dangers of driving impaired. This includes being mentally, emotionally, and physically impaired. Driving while talking on the phone is a mental impairment, and is very dangerous. Driving with a lot on your mind or heavy emotions is, too. Stress is a great example of an emotion you should not be driving with. We don’t often think of this as an emotional impairment but it is. Driving while stressed or angry can cause drivers to make rash decisions or not be focused. It is important to be completely focused on driving and being mentally and emotionally impaired will prohibit this. The one we are most familiar with is driving while physically impaired. Drinking and driving is one of the most common causes of car accidents, and the simple choice of not driving after having a few drinks can be a lifesaver. Driving physically impaired also includes prescription medications. You should not drive while trying a new medication that you don’t know how it will affect your body. Always try the medication before driving, see if it makes you drowsy, or has any other debilitating side effects. Like in the car accident my mother was in, being physically impared with alchohol and or medication can create life or death situations.

Another vital habit to keep in order to practice safe driving is to eliminate distractions. Keeping your car clean, not looking at your phone, and keeping the radio down are examples. If the inside of your car is a mess, it can distract you when driving. Having items in your line of vision can also be distracting, like something on the dashboard or hanging from the rearview mirror. It is important to go over car rules if you are driving with a child to ensure you can have your attention on the road. You can only control yourself and what goes on in your car, you can’t control what other vehicles do. So it is important to take control of the surroundings in your car to ensure safety. Just one distraction can be all it takes to cause an accident, but you can become a safer driver by implementing these habits. They don’t take much time or effort out of your day, but it can change whether you make it to your destination safely or not. Unlearning the dangerous habits common in our society can make the road safer for everyone. It is important to know that just because these habits are normalized, they are not safe. Doing routine car maintenance, avoiding impaired driving, and limiting distractions can make you a better driver and create a safer environment. Implementing these habits can be a simple and effective way of preventing car accidents.

By recognizing how car accidents affect us personally, taking steps to prevent deaths, promoting education, and becoming safer drivers, we can combat the dangers of driving. American society has normalized numerous unsafe driving habits, and our responsibility is to correct them. As drivers, we can educate ourselves and advocate for better public transportation. It is a long road to safer transportation, but taking these actions makes it achievable. One person’s choices can change someone’s life forever; it can take a life, break a family, or prevent tragedies like this from happening again. We must act responsibly while driving, and maybe one day that can lead to a brighter and safer future.