In the Driver’s Seat: Neil’s Lesson

“How are you doing sweetie?” asked my mom. The scent of lavender perfume and stale cookies wafted towards us as we walked into the funeral home.

“Fine I guess,” I lied. Then, before I had a chance to think about my words, a sentence escaped, “You still don’t know anything about the driver?”

“No, I’m sorry darling.” my mom replied.

The first thing I saw in the funeral home was a basket providing masks. It was January 8th 2020 and I chuckled at everyone worrying about COVID-19, not knowing the pandemic to come. But a gray cloud rolled over my momentary blue sky when my great uncle’s caregiver came up to us.

“I have information on the driver,” he said, almost apologetically. He went on to explain that the car that hit and killed my great uncle, Neil, was a sleepy driver. Neil walked to Dunkin’ Donuts every morning at 5 am like clockwork until one disastrous morning a tired man driving to work took his life. I was absolutely flabbergasted that something as silly as being tired made someone so distracted that they took my uncle from me.

Fast forward to June of that year, I was finally old enough to take drivers training. The story of my uncle’s death looming over me like a cloud in a 6 month long storm, but I was not going to let it flood my life. Over the three weeks of training, I essentially learned how easy it is to get into an accident. If someone is too tired or emotional or distracted, it is not too far of a long shot. The drivers education class I had originally complained about having to take made me realize how truly imperative a quality drivers education class is. If the man who killed my Uncle Neil had learned of the dangers of driving sleepily, maybe my uncle would still be with us. We learned about thousands of cases of accidents that were so avoidable if the drivers had had satisfactory training, like how to drive in roundabouts or merging on the highway. Someone may drive for 60 years but only get drivers education once, and I truly realized how important the roots are.

When I reflect on my uncle’s accident, I ponder all of the aspects that could have gone differently. One step that can be taken to avoid this type of accident is a vest for my uncle. He was probably wearing neutral clothing that did not stick out from the dark morning sky. Another act of prevention is teaching new drivers different distractions, especially ones that a teenager would not expect, like being too emotional or tired. Driver’s education reminds me of fire prevention in a way. The major part of stopping fires is not flame retardants or smoke detectors, but avoidance tactics such as turning off stoves, putting water on campfires, and unplugging devices. In the same light, car accidents are not stopped by seat belts or turn signals, so it is essential to have exceptional prevention tactics from the beginning, like comprehensive drivers education.

I am proud to say that I have never been in an accident or been pulled over, but this is not an easy feat. My car is a tight ship with strict rules. The music never goes above 13, seatbelts are always worn, my phone stays in my center console, and I always call for a ride when I am feeling tired or emotional. Additionally, I ensure to educate my friends, parents, and people around me on the dangers. Once a friend learns of my Uncle’s story, they understand the gravity of their actions on the road and how close the dangers are to them. This encourages them to drive safer. Another thing I do to keep the roads safe is encourage my younger friends to truly take drivers training seriously. Because of my various leadership positions in marching band and clubs, I am surrounded by budding flowers I do not want to be hit by my uncle’s storm. I have had Freshman friends that confide in me that they go on their phone during class or do not plan on focusing. Luckily, I am able to explain to them the value of drivers training, and I can inspire them to concentrate on their class. I feel so fortunate to be in a position where I can aid others to get the best roots in driving. Afterall, the way to prevent this pointless and painful loss of life is drivers education, and it is my duty to help my younger peers stop the storm.