A Collective Effort

A
Collective Effort

On
a cool winter day, my father guided my family through the canyons of
Utah. He told tales of his adventures while earning his Ph.D, while
my mother drove us around the miles of trees and snow-capped
mountains. The bright sun reflected across—CRACK!…Mom
quickly hit the brakes as something carved into the solid windshield.
The sedan in front had attempted to pass a semi-trailer truck, but
collided head-on with an SUV. Four bodies flew out of the smaller car
as it launched into the air, fortunately hitting the back of the
trailer, or else we would’ve been the next victims. Black oil
rained down, distorting our vision, and Mom narrowly avoided the car
as it fell to the ground. Later, we learned that all four in the
sedan were intoxicated, three of whom died on site. After hours of
police questioning, we were finally able to move on from this
traumatic experience.

This
is a tragic example of why the United States must educate its
citizens in safe driving. As a modern society, drivers ed is
imperative to national success. Accidents can happen at any time,
meaning that important people can be killed at any time. These people
include parents, workers, doctors, engineers, teachers,
scientists…the list goes on. People that could have a real impact,
snuffed out because of recklessness; it might even be their own
driving!

Properly
educated drivers reduce the likelihood of such accidents. Why is
this? Education teaches people to think, search for clues, and know
the risks. When done right, it makes the entire population more
successful. The same concept must be applied to driving. A
well-written curriculum for driving education creates the correct
mindset for drivers, eventually building up long-lasting habits.
Together, we can make driving safer, but only if we put forth the
effort.

As
someone who’s received their license, I can honestly say that the
tests are too easy. On the written test, students can effortlessly
eliminate incorrect answers and achieve a passing score. The driving
test isn’t much different; performing a 3-point turn and coasting
on sub-25 mph roads hardly pose a challenge. The student must then
take education into their own hands. The Driver Handbook is
essential, containing professionally researched information that I
didn’t know before. Classes are also a good resource, as I know
some people learn better with a teacher’s guidance. Someday,
students will be grateful for the knowledge they’ve gained.

To
prevent accidents, I have never touched any substances. I also keep
my phone face down, far away, so I’m not tempted. I will continue
these customs and encourage those around me to follow as well. On the
other hand, I am prone to anger on the road, and I will need to
practice staying calm. Additionally, it is our collective
responsibility to ensure that the driver does not practice unsafe
habits. Only as a community can we ensure that such tragic deaths are
kept to a minimum.