Name: Maya Alexandra Bienzen
From: Franklin, WI
Votes: 0
Driving is a
privilege, not an opportunity. These were the first words spoken to
me as I started driving. I vividly remember my earliest experience
behind the wheel. It was days after receiving my permit, and my
father took me to an abandoned parking lot. We switched places, and I
nervously awaited his instructions. First, I started the car and we
went over all the mechanisms, which button was the defrost, how to
turn the windshield wipers on, etc. When my father finally told me it
was time to shift into drive and take a few laps around the parking
lot, I reluctantly agreed. The car crawled along the lot, never going
above 15 miles an hour. I took turns at turtle pace and was so
hesitant to touch the gas at all that my father needed to urge me to
go a little faster.
Growing up, I
remember daydreaming of when I would finally be able to drive. I
thought of all the cross-country trips my friends and I would take,
and the freedom to finally take myself to my countless
extracurricular activities. I was ignorant and had no idea of any of
the responsibilities that came with driving, let alone how dangerous
it is.
According to the
CDC, in 2017, 2,364 teens ages 16-19 were killed, and 300,000
suffered injuries due to motor vehicle crashes. One of the biggest
catalysts of car crashes is texting while driving, as it is a visual
distraction, cognitive distraction, and manual distraction. Sending a
text takes a driver’s eyes off the road for about 5 seconds, which
is the length of a football field if driving at 55 mph.
Just last week, I
was turning right onto a busy street and was almost rear-ended. I
made sure to inch forward and check all areas of traffic to ensure I
was able to safely make the turn, yet all of a sudden a large SUV
came flying through. Thankfully the driver slammed on their breaks
and narrowly avoided hitting me, but that didn’t stop my adrenaline
from rushing. Because I use safe driving practices, such as not
texting while driving, I was able to exercise defensive driving and
avoid a collision.
According to
kidshealth.org, there are 8 key components to defensive driving,
including:
-
Think safety
first -
Be aware of
your surroundings- pay attention -
Do not depend
on other drivers -
Follow the
3-4 second rule -
Keep your
speed down -
Have an
escape route -
Separate
risks -
Cut out
distractions
Defensive driving is
one of the best ways to reduce the risk of an accident and the number
of deaths caused by crashes. For this reason, it is one of the most
important topics covered in drivers ed courses.
Regardless of any
car safety features, it is ultimately the driver’s responsibility
to safely operate the vehicle. Therefore, defensive driving must be
utilized and distractions always be eliminated, leaving the driver
focused on the road. After all, driving is a privilege, not an
opportunity.
Sources:
“Teen Drivers: Get the Facts.” Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, 30 Oct. 2019. Web. 30 Nov. 2019.
<https://www.cdc.gov/motorvehiclesafety/teen_drivers/teendrivers_factsheet.html>.
“Distracted Driving.” Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 16 Sept.
2019. Web. 30 Nov. 2019.
<https://www.cdc.gov/motorvehiclesafety/distracted_driving/index.html>.
“The Keys to Defensive Driving (for Teens) – Nemours
KidsHealth.” KidsHealth. Ed. Kurt E. Gray. The Nemours
Foundation, Sept. 2016. Web. 30 Nov. 2019.
<https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/driving-safety.html>.
