Name: Angitha Reji
From: Brooksville, Florida
Votes: 1
My head was spinning, still reeling from the collision. Who knew 10
seconds could change so much? One second, I was sitting in my booster
seat watching the cars drive by and the next second, I was jerked
back by a sudden force that pushed the air out of my lungs. A feeling
of utter helplessness and panic overcame me, making it hard for me to
think. It was the worst feeling in the world that I will never
forget. That day, a car t-boned us, totaling our new car and nearly
killing my mother and I, who were seated at the side of impact. This
experience left a huge mark on me and completely changed the way I
thought.
After
my rocky history with car accidents, I vowed to myself that I would
become a good driver. The first step in attaining my goal was taking
a driving course. Many people forego this because they believe it is
unnecessary, but in reality, it can be the difference between life
and death. In fact, drivers who haven’t taken a driving course are
“75% more likely to get traffic tickets and 24% more likely to be
involved in a fatal or injury accident” (Reed,2015). Personally, I
found drivers ed to be extremely helpful in learning different
signs and rules. Without this basic understanding, mistakes are much
more likely. Considering the evidence, driving education should be
mandatory courses offered in all high schools. This change will be
very impactful in improving driver safety of youth.
In
a country where car accidents kill more people than combat, it is
imperative that we find a solution to this deadly problem. To find
the solution, it is essential that we examine the causes. The root
cause of most car accidents is distracted driving. Driving requires
one’s full focus and if that focus slips, even slightly, it can be
catastrophic. One common occurrence that I have seen with friends is
driving with a phone. They believe they can multitask without causing
any harm. This notion is misguided, and I have experienced first-hand
how the car shifts when the driver takes their eyes off the road.
Propaganda and law enforcement have, so far, been ineffective in
changing this driving behavior. Although texting and driving is
illegal, it’s nearly impossible for police to catch offenders.
Moreover, the propaganda has also been unsuccessful due to sparse
advertising and incorrigible audience. The solution to this
widespread problem is changing phones themselves. Phone companies can
make updates that comes with “driving mode” that restricts
drivers on the road. That means blocking driver access of the phone
and muting notifications when it detects car movement. This is an
effective means of changing driver attitude and actions.
Overall, my experience in car accidents has taught me the importance
of being a cautious and educated driver. With new technology
distracting us, we have to be vigilant. We must take steps to solving
distracted driving. We should also educate new drivers to be safe.
References
Reed
, L. (2015, August 13). Study: Drivers ed significantly reduces teen
crashes, tickets. Retrieved November 25, 2019, from
http://newsroom.unl.edu/releases/2015/08/13/Study:Drivers ed
significantly reduces teen crashes, tickets.
