Dangerous Driving

Driving a car is very scary. They’re massive and heavy. When I first started driving I was terrified at the thought of driving, and even worse– crashing. Every single mistake I made had me gripping the wheel for dear life, praying that I didn’t cause a wreck. It took the persistence of my parents working with me for me to feel confident in myself to drive. But just when I was starting to get comfortable driving alongside my parents, I had to learn how to drive alone. Without a driver education course, I would feel less safe driving myself, and I would be more wary of the other cars on the road. It was through this education and lots of practice that I achieved the status of a good driver.

In driver education programs, you often learn the basics of driving like the meanings of different lights, signs, and road markings. You may also learn some scary statistics about how dangerous driving can be. The United States has about 40,000 fatalities due to a motorized vehicle annually. While scary, that number definitely makes me a little more cautious on the road.

Many of these wrecks could have been prevented, and perhaps someone families would be a little less broken. Most wrecks are products of little distractions like checking your phone or staring at something, or simply not paying attention.

Years ago, my mom wrecked her brand new car. She just had bought it a couple days earlier and she was changing the radio while driving up a narrow hollow. She was just a couple hundred yards from home when one of her wheels slid off the pavement and left her stuck in a ditch with a totaled car. Money was hard to come by, and this was not a loss that my family took lightly, but it could have been completely prevented if she had stayed focused on the road.

Since, my brother has had several instances of bad driving, for the same reason as my mom– not paying attention. He wouldn’t check his mirrors and then hit a mailbox, or he would be setting his GPS and then run into a guard rail. He never had a major wreck, just little dings all over his car. Even though no one got hurt, he definitely learned his lesson through all his bills at the body shop.

Another major reason for fatalities in car wrecks is driving under the influence. Alcohol slows motor function and an impaired driver may not be able to maintain their lane or drive at a safe speed. Driving under the influence is dangerous for the people in the vehicle, as well as everyone else on the road. In southeastern Kentucky, alcohol and drugs are very common and it seems to be a growing trend. Because of these potential dangers, when I see someone driving erratically I try to keep a healthy distance between myself and the chaotic car.

Sometimes, just paying attention can save lives, and if the car is noticeably swerving I will report it. I was on a vacation to Tennessee when I saw a man in a car driving all over the road. He wouldn’t stop and no police or paramedics had made it out to the scene. The people on the road worked to slowly stop the man and angled cars around his, so he couldn’t drive anymore. Soon, people used a glass break tool and busted his window out. Paramedics soon arrived and it was discovered that he was having a stroke.

The biggest struggle that I have personally had with driving for long periods is the drowsiness. Something about it is so soothing and when I have been driving for more than an hour or two. Driving tired is inevitable, but pay attention to what your body needs. You could fall asleep behind the wheel, endangering everyone. To combat this, I always make sure I feel alert before I start driving, and if I start to get tired, I’ll stop to stretch or take a short walk. Coffee always helps too. If you are tired while traveling with other licensed drivers, you can ask someone to drive while you rest.

Driving can be scary, but it can also be a lot of fun because it gives you independence. It’s easy to let your guard down and forget to check blind spots, but its important to stay focused on the road because it could save your life. Sometimes it is as simple as looking around you.