BE THE CHANGE FOR OUR FUTURE

In 2011, my father got into a head-on car accident, hitting a guard rail and then into an ambulance. Getting that horrifying call at 5 o’clock in the morning, that my father was admitted into the hospital was a gut wrenching feeling that I do not wish upon anyone. My fathers car was totaled, but he did not sustain any life threatening injuries, which is all that mattered.

It’s nearly impossible to stop all fatalities involving car accidents, but reducing the amount is not. The first step in reducing the numbers is that all drivers who want to acquire a driver’s license, should go through more than just 8 hours of behind the wheel classes. Having drivers only take a course behind the wheel for such a short period is not nearly enough time to educate them on the safety of driving a vehicle. Creating a program that allows drivers to take a 30 hour behind the wheel course, would significantly increase the confidence in a new driver. The next step in helping reduce the number of deaths would simply be to wear a seatbelt. But many don’t understand the significance of wearing the “annoying strap”. A seatbelt reduces the possibility of death by almost 50%, it is there for a reason and not for decoration. Lastly, more than 10,000 people are killed each year due to drunk drivers. Making sure that you or someone you know doesn’t drive under the influence is critical to stopping the number of deaths in car accidents each year. Getting an uber or finding a ride with someone who is not under the influence, will help you and the people on the road, return to your families safely. That one big mistake of stepping into a car to drive while drunk, will leave a family in excruciating pain for the rest of their lives because you made the wrong decision to be irresponsible.

The significance of taking a drivers education class is crucial for becoming an experienced driver. Practicing driving with a certified instructor helps new drivers learn road laws and understand consequences when they are broken. Driver’s education also opens a door for asking questions about driving in various situations such as snowy and rainy weather. Giving people the option of joining a class to learn and understand driving laws is pivotal to the change, because without it people would be left clueless. It’s crucial for teens to take this course because the percent of fatalities for this age group is much greater than any other. Although adults and elders also make mistakes while on the road, younger drivers don’t have years of experience, so when it comes down to those crucial moments they are unaware how to handle them.

Promoting the importance of safe driving is essential for our future. Letting your friends and family know the dangers of driving irresponsibly will help create a domino effect on learning how to become safer drivers. Also letting drivers know that it’s better to be late, then never getting there at all. People need to understand that it’s not a race to see who can get there first or speed because you’re late to work. Your life is crucial and putting yourself in danger is not the correct way of completing a task. Advocating for stricter driving laws and making a change will reduce the probability for people to get into car accidents. Also, having speakers come into highschool to advocate and tell stories on car accidents would help young drivers understand why we have such strict laws and how they can reduce accidents from happening. Drivers need to start caring about consequences for wrongful actions before it is too late. If we want to make a change for the better, we need to make an effort to do so. Getting your driver’s license is more than just a fun experience. It is supposed to show growth and maturity, but some people take it for granted. Taking responsibility for your wrong actions is a step in the right direction. Learning from your mistakes so that you can show others how to do it right, is a step in the right direction. You are the decision maker when driving a vehicle, so don’t make decisions that will stop others from their success. Practice the change, show the change and be the change. Without change, we will be stuck in this constant cycle of people hating others for the damages that they cause to our society.