Think Twice or Live With It the Rest of Your Life

Think Twice or Live With It the Rest of Your Life

When searching for a definitive meaning of Education, Google provides two definitions. 1.the process of receiving or giving systematic instruction, especially at a school or university. 2. an enlightening experience. These two definitions provide many with a sufficient understanding for the term, yet lack the realistic outlook of it being limited. In various countries, many people unfortunately lack the access to one of the most precious commodities- education. Children are not allowed to legally learn as we are able to here in the United States. The fact that we have access to innumerable ways to become educated on different things is something we should not take for granted. One of the most valuable educational courses we have to date is Driver Education.

Since the first initial recognized driver education curriculum was established by Amos Neyhart in 1934, people have been able to learn the ways of the road to ensure that the proper protocol is followed to prohibit accidents as much as possible. Without this knowledge, the average number of fatalities resulting from motor vehicle accidents would be significantly higher. Kids deserve to have parents that come home after going for a drive just as much as parents deserve to see their kids return home safely after riding or driving in a vehicle. In the absence of driver education, the world would witness more tragedies than celebrations. People deserve to live life to the fullest without having it cut short due to ignorance when pertaining to roads rules and regulations. In order to experience what we deserve as a nation, we must be willing to abide by the book that exists for the good of the people to help us, not harm us.

Although we have the book to set us up for success on the road, it is up to us to align our actions with those steps to truly ignite change in fatality statistics and automobile crashes. One of the most common causes of car crash deaths is driving while under the influence. As humans, it is easy to fall short but we cannot let our emotions overpower our intelligence. One thing to live by is “Drink a little and lose a lot”. Although a person may say that they will only have one drink, it is easy to be tempted to consume more. This can result in intoxication which prohibits the driver’s ability to fully comprehend the rules they have learned for the road. With DUI instances, public awareness is one of the keys for success to allow people to gain knowledge on the importance of safe driving practices as well as the consequences of irresponsible behavior. One quote that I strive to live by daily is “If we do not stand for something, we will fall for anything”. It is pivotal that we stand firm on being against making irresponsible decisions that will inevitably affect the lives of innocent people in the midst of our poor choices. Planning weekly or monthly protests, support groups, and pop-up classes can help guide others in the right direction of prompting more people to be wise and accountable for their actions.

In a hauntingly traumatic experience on November 27th, 2017, a collision in an Uber transformed my life instantly. A woman test driving a pickup truck T-boned us. Despite no physical head injury, the impact left me with a concussion, altering my perception and passion for acting and cheering. Four months of restriction followed, leaving me with weakened eyesight. My right eye, a once-vibrant window to the world, has been rendered weak, its sight compromised to such an extent that without my glasses, I am unable to decipher objects beyond a mere foot’s distance. This relentless reality plagues my heart with profound sadness, for it was an impulsive decision made by someone who failed to pause for contemplation. In one reckless moment, I bore witness to the sacrifice of almost everything I held dear, a haunting reminder of the fragility and the immense impact of choices made carelessly. This heart-wrenching sacrifice resulted from a careless decision, forever emphasizing the importance of responsible driving and cherishing life on the roads.

Moving forward, I strive to educate others from my own personal experience on the importance of safe driving. I will continue encouraging my family and peers to drive like their loved ones are on the road. Before getting in the car, we must be honest and truthful with our ability to drive. Whether we are emotionally unstable resulting in uncontrollable rage or have chosen to consume substances that can lead to sacrificing a life at the speed of light. This is because I believe that we should not drive only for ourselves but for others as well. With every decision- driving or not, we must think twice or live with it the rest of our life.