Safe Driving

Most people don’t take the time out of their day to consider that every single person in the cars next to them on the highway, on their way to work or even just on their way home has a family and a life and people who care about them. I know I at least unfortunately didn’t until a too close experience, I was driving with my little sister after taking her to get some frozen yogurt and I had my phone on in my seat next to me and my music too loud and was in a new area I was unexposed to and due to these distractions I ended up on the wrong side of the road with a trucks headlights blaring in my face and on my mind was my little sisters life and the life of whoever was driving the truck and how their lives would be so impacted by hurting or potentially killing two young girls in an accident that wouldn’t have been their fault as well as how affected their family would have been if anything had happened to them. Me and my sisters’ lives were thankfully spared that day by that truck driver being able to hit their brakes in time but also for no one to be in the lane that I swerved into in order to get on the right side of the road. After that incident I realized for the first time while driving I had truly thought about that other driver and how they would be impacted and how it would impact their family. Me driving recklessly or distracted won’t only affect me and those in my car or even just those in other cars but it affects everyone who cares for me and every single persons loved ones who are out driving. This experience reminded me of the drivers ed class that I took my freshman year of highschool and how all i was taught was to slam on the brakes quickly, check my blind spots, the rules of the road, which signs mean and was told a very sad drunk driver story that was meant to encourage students to never drive under the influence, which is what’s expected from a public schools drivers ed course. But being under the influence isn’t the only thing that can affect your driving and I never fully grasped the concept of one distracted driver having such an impact on so many lives, I think it’s important that we instill this ideology into teens or new drivers who don’t fully wrap their heads around the fact that their driving could have such a large impact on others.The importance of the drivers ed curriculum as it is helps reduce the numbers of deaths by making sure drivers are prepared for things they may experience on the road, it would be better if you had to take it regardless and not just if you want to get your license before you turn 18 but as is influences students to want to take the class in order to be able to drive sooner which is good because it’s better to have drivers that have taken the course than ones that have not, only 15 states have comprehensive licensing requirements that include behind-the-wheel training at a licensed driving school, in addition to other methods like classroom or online instruction, parent-supervised practice driving, and learner permit holding periods. Steps aside from adding requirements of drivers ed or some schooling regardless of age is teaching new drivers to get rid of all genuine distractions and that a distraction doesn’t just mean texting and driving or reaching for something in the back of your car but it also means having your music up too loud or arguing with someone in your car or eating something while driving. Teaching them to stop thinking that you have to be texting to be distracted while driving if you don’t like the song that’s playing, ignore it, if you’re truly hungry pull over to eat and if things get heated in an argument once again pull over and resolve it while not on the road endangering yourself and others. As well as reminding drivers that there are others on the road with loved ones who would be impacted if anything happened to them the same way people would be impacted if anything happened to you, be aware of the fact that you’re not the only driver on the road and drive safe and not distracted by anything or anyone or be under the influence of anything while driving.