Name: Abigail Leitinger
From: Mount Laurel, NJ
Votes: 0
Recently,
I had the pleasure of reuniting with an old friend. She was in town
on vacation with her family, staying at a local motel with little
reception– thus, she was happy to escape for the evening. We met at
a small coffee shop a few towns over and took the time to share
stories and swap updates. I inquired about Bella, her 40-pound golden
retriever, who had been a hallmark of my childhood. The grim look
that shadowed her face at the mention of Bella made my heart drop.
“We
were driving to the tennis courts; I had her in the passenger seat of
my car. Her head was out the window, and her drool was covering the
interior. She knew exactly where we were going, and she was so
excited. I went to make a left turn, and…”
“The
guy was driving an SUV,” she continued. “So my car was totaled.
And Bella…” She choked.
“He
was texting his wife,” she hung her head in her hands. “He felt
really bad. He said he had a dog, too.”
She
was lucky she hadn’t sustained any serious injuries, but I knew the
blow to her heart was just as severe.
Roughly
3,287 people die every day from car accidents worldwide
(driving-tests.org). This means every 25 seconds one life will be
taken as a vehicular fatality. While there is a War on Terror and a
War on Poverty, there is yet to be a battle against the dangers of
reckless driving. Contrary to the belief of most drivers, driving is
a privilege. No one is entitled to their license. However, everyone
is entitled
to learn the rules of the road. It is a requirement that everyone
with a license receives the proper education in order to reduce the
likelihood of accidents. The statistics behind unsafe driving are not
always so shocking for those fortunate enough to go their whole lives
without any incident of vehicular fatality. Don’t wait for your
life to become a statistic. Take action now! Seek the education
necessary to become a driver and follow all traffic rules and
regulations. Engage in defensive driving by being cautious and
courteous. Even steps as simple as wearing a seat belt and never
driving while under the influence are great ways to prevent road
accidents.
Following
the death of my boyfriend’s uncle, who had unknowingly taken his
last motorcycle trip just a few weeks ago, I myself will start taking
steps to improve my safety on the road. This means more practice with
complete stops, obeying the speed limit, and improving my turns. If
I’m going to get my license, I’m going to earn it. The driver’s
seat isn’t for just anyone– its for mature adults looking to
safely arrive to work on time; for teens that have practiced hours on
the road to properly handle a vehicle; for dog owners looking to
spend the evening with their pet at the tennis courts.
