Drive to Stay Alive

Every time you get behind the wheel of a car you are in imminent danger. You are in control of a machine that weighs between 2,000 and 6,000 pounds traveling at an average speed of 45 miles an hour. Additionally, every driver you see on the road is controlling the same potential weapon equally capable of maiming and killing. What do I need to know to protect myself, my passengers, other motorists, pedestrians, motorcyclists or bicyclists?

A motor vehicle deserves respect and understanding. At the very latest, the moment you leave the Department of Motor Vehicles with your license in hand, your journey to safe driving should begin. The first step is driver education whose objective is to help a driver develop good safety habits and become an educated and courteous driver. Driver education delves deeper into the categories which were minimally covered on the learners permit test. At this point of your driving career you are relatively devoid of either good or bad driving habits and are a sponge to absorb the proper skills. You are probably asking “is there really that much to know about operating a motor vehicle beyond starting, accelerating and stopping?” The answer is yes, and that source of information is driver education. You will learn safe driving habits, rules of the road and laws pertaining to driving. Not only is the safety of the driver their concern, but also anyone on the road while you are at the wheel. Important lessons include: the rights of pedestrians, motorcyclists and bicyclists, right of way at stop signs, yield signs, intersections and traffic circles, the meaning of solid and broken lines, proper use of turn signals, the importance of maintaining proper distances and how to adjust for inclement weather conditions. For example, a common question from new drivers is “how long do you wait at a stop sign before proceeding?” As is often a problem with first time drivers, false pride is at stake, and they do not want to appear to be a novice. Tested, tried and true is the mantra “one Mississippi, two Mississippi, three Mississippi” to judge waiting time before proceeding. My grandmother has advised that she took drivers education 50 years ago and continues to use this tool. This is only the beginning. Your education does not stop here. Driver’s education addresses the issue of proper maintenance of your vehicle which under the guidance of a qualified mechanic is crucial. A defective vehicle can result in accidents caused by, for example: low oil, overheating, under or overinflated tires, and/or bad brakes. Before you start the engine, there are procedures that are mandatory every time you get behind the wheel. Not only you, but also your vehicle, must be prepared for the journey ahead. Some of the fundamental instructions include: adjust your seat, steering wheel, side view and rear view mirrors and put on your seat belt. Bear in mind, you must use your turn signal to indicate you are merging into traffic and yield to any motorist already on the road. Only after all these precautions have been taken are you and your vehicle ready to go. If you heed the information provided by driver education, you will be on the way to becoming a safe, considerate and happy driver.

No matter how strictly you adhere to what you have learned from driver education, accidents still happen. Among the major causes are reckless driving, distracted driving, road rage, speeding and ignoring traffic rules. These issues are addressed during driver education. The one area of particular interest to me is distracted driving. The leading cause of death among teenagers is due to fatal automobile crashes. The highest risk is ages 16 to 17. As a teenager myself, I have spent the majority of my life connected to my electronic devices especially the cell phone. Cell phones have become a teenager’s primary source of communication with parents and friends, and, in turn, can become a deadly weapon behind the wheel of a car. We have to learn when, and more importantly, where not to use cell phones. There may be a time when, by the grace of God, you brake in time to avoid an accident. A split second of distraction caused by texting could have had devastating results. It is easy to justify cell phone use by claiming it was only a second. That one second can be a matter of life and death. In order to fully understand the destruction that can result from distracted driving caused by cell phones tune into any evening news station. Most teenagers feel that their parents are not really in tune with the real world. A news anchor reporting at the scene of a fatality has more credibility. Teenagers on their way home from a high school basketball game, returning from the movies or simply visiting friends – dead by cell phone. Without texting they all would have returned home to live another day. How can we make driving safer and eliminate this cause of potential carnage from our lives? Always be alert and cognitive of what is going on around you and think! Is this text really a matter of life and death because, yes, it might well be.

Many outside organizations are available to assist in understanding and helping to eliminate the dangers of distracted driving. Youth programs like Florida Sheriffs Association’s Teen Driver Challenge specifically aim to address this issue. Their mission is to help prevent Florida teens from becoming a statistic. The Put the Phone Away or Pay is an organization which operates during specific times of the year. This program is supported by law enforcement and should become a year round program – “You text, you pay”.

The data is eye-opening. Matthew Angelillo killed on Father’s Day, Phillip LaValle, 19 years old killed while on a training run, Michelle Lunsford killed on her way home from work while texting a friend. These young people will never see another birthday, celebrate graduations, get married or have a future. These are real people who had hopes and dreams. Take heed and learn to respect the power of the automobile and your responsibility as its operator. “Don’t tempt fate that text can wait.” Arrive alive.

On a more personal note, on the day I received my driver’s license, my parents sat me down to read the riot act regarding the importance of driving in a responsible and safe manner. They reviewed the need to observe and put into effect all the points that were covered in driver education. They were particularly adamant about texting. A light bulb went off! These statements brought back memories past and present of my parent’s texting, messaging and even taking pictures while driving. My dilemma was how to confront the issue, and I finally decided honesty was the best approach. I reminded them of how often they were actually guilty of violating the very same rules they had just outlined for me. It was an issue we had to discuss. Surprisingly, they were not aware of how often they were texting while driving. After this self-awareness, they become more cognizant of their bad behavior. It has been an ongoing process, but as of this date, they have finally abandoned the concept of the cell phone being an acceptable device to be used while driving. I am equally critical of friend’s driving and do not hesitate nor am I embarrassed to address the dangers of their actions. I continue to monitor my own behavior to insure that I continue along the proper path.

There is not one individual solution to reducing the number of fatalities caused by irresponsible driving. Driver education is the foundation of making the roads safer. Special programs designed to address specific issues are always available and have been found to shed light on how to minimize some causes of fatalities. These programs have been so successful in some areas there are actually waiting lists. Always be focused on what you are doing while driving. Be aware of your surroundings and always be prepared to react to unsafe situations. There will always be that impatient driver who will cut you off, cross over solid lines, tailgate or speed. Do not engage in road rage. Driving safely should be your one and only interest while behind the wheel. It is a time to be responsible and mindful of the monumental gift you have earned.

. A driver’s license and all the power and pleasure that go along with it are a privilege and not an entitlement. Stay alive – think when you drive.