Driving is a Privilege

Driving is a privilege that we all look forward to in our teen years. The freedom of going out to wherever we want and whenever we want without the obstacle of trying to find a ride from a friend or a parent. However, that freedom comes with the price of responsibility; a quality not everyone obtains.​​ According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there are around ninety-nine fatalities due to car accidents in the United States a day. Driving is a privilege that many are not taking seriously enough. 

Driving education is a necessity for anyone who is planning to get behind the wheel. According to the American Automobile Association, driving education has reduced car wrecks by 4.3% and convictions by about 40%. Everyone needs to know the basic skills of general driving, but other important skills can be helpful. Defensive driving is an important skill to have when on the road. One never knows if the car in front of them will break down or if a driver to their right has a medical emergency and loses control of their vehicle. Teaching defensive driving prepares drivers to be ready for anything and avoid possible accidents from happening. Learning how to drive from a driving instructor also allows the driver to have more confidence in their driving. After a professional has given all the advice and information that you need to drive and has approved you to drive, then a person will feel much more confident in their driving skills and not hesitate while on the road. Hesitation and lack of observation leads to car accidents and driving education helps limit the chances of either of those from happening. 

Taking these simple steps while driving is an easy way to avoid fatal car accidents. Making sure to wear a seat belt and having all passengers in the correct seat belts and car seats secures that everyone will be safe in the car during an accident. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, “In 2021, 26,325 passenger vehicle occupants were killed. About 50% of those killed were not buckled.” It’s important to buckle up so no one gets injured or ejected from the vehicle. Another step is to be cautious of road signs. Following stop signs, yield signs, red lights, and other traffic signs is extremely important. These signs and lights are put in place to make traffic move smoothly and safely and if ignored can result in disaster. It’s important to recognize signs and understand what they mean to keep you and everyone on the road safe. Another important step is to never drive while intoxicated. It is extremely irresponsible to drive while under the influence and can lead to hurting you and your passengers as well as others on the road. It’s better to not take the risk and either have a designated driver or find an Uber or other form of transportation. The last step is to remain calm and patient while driving. It is easy to get frustrated at others on the road and to want to speed off or swerve around people, but this kind of behavior is accident-inducing. Focus on remaining calm and cautious and driving safely and a car accident is less likely to happen. 

Fortunately, I have only been in one minor accident in my whole life. When I was in the seventh grade, my mom was driving me and my foster brother home from school when we came to a four-way stop near a neighborhood. My mom stopped and looked down the streets both to her left and right and I even looked down each way as well. My mom barely pulled her car out when I heard a horrible screeching noise. We veered off to the right, landed halfway in the grass, and stopped right before we hit a tree. My mom had hit a small blue/silver car and the car was a few feet in front of us. Everyone was fine and there was some damage but both cars were still drivable. My mom was given a ticket because it looked to the police officer like my mom hadn’t stopped and checked both ways and hit the woman’s car. However, I still think back to that now and wonder how that could be possible. I remember us both looking down each street to make sure no one was coming. My mom also couldn’t have been going fast enough to cause that much damage when she had just pulled out into the road. I firmly believe that the woman was most likely driving too fast and didn’t stop at the stop sign. It was like she came out of thin air and my mom just didn’t notice in enough time. 

My dad also got into a horrible car accident a couple of years ago in the summer of 2021. He was in Easley, SC which is about a thirty-minute drive from where we live. He was at a light, trying to go straight, and when it turned green, he started driving. My dad drives slightly fast and somewhat recklessly. He has had to travel for work for most of his career so he has developed a high amount of confidence in his driving which can sometimes lead to his arrogance and lack of observation while on the road. My dad was going a little fast and not paying attention to his surroundings when suddenly, a car struck him in the side and he spun for a little bit until he finally stopped, almost unconscious. He suffered a cracked rib and some minor cuts, scrapes, and bruises. He almost passed out from the shock while in his car. The girl who had hit him was a sixteen-year-old girl who had a green light to go left but not an arrow. She was distraught as she had just recently started driving and this was most likely her first major car wreck while being behind the wheel. While it was 100% the young girl’s fault, if my dad hadn’t been going so fast and had been paying more attention to what was going on, he could have slowed down, stopped, honked even to avoid a car accident. 

Remembering that driving is a privilege is important. It’s good to remember the steps I mentioned earlier when driving to make yourself a better and safer driver. Patience, confidence, and awareness are important to be prepared on the road. Reminding family members and friends to keep their cool, follow all safety steps, and pay attention to their surroundings while driving can limit experiences like the ones my parents and I went through. It’s our job to be educated about the rules of driving and make the roads a little safer. After all, driving is fun and convenient, and it should be enjoyed with fewer fatalities and injuries. If we all work together and take the right steps, we can make it safer out there for everyone.