In the Driver’s Seat Scholarship – Isabella Lindahl (Class of 2021)

In the Driver’s Seat Scholarship – Isabella Lindahl (Class of 2021)

Road safety is one of the biggest problems in not only Texas, but our country as a whole. Though measures have recently been taken to improve the well being of drivers in America, an estimated 38,800 individuals died in car related incidents in 2019. Proper drivers ed and information can greatly reduce the number of driving deaths because if a driver knows the dangers of bad driving habits such as distracted driving and driving under the influence, and knows of extensive road knowledge, one would take caution in getting behind the wheel and would consciously make an effort to ensure the safety of not only themselves, but other individuals on the road as well.

In order to greatly reduce the number of deaths related to driving, preventive measures can be taken, such as putting one’s phone on silent, making sure that the driver of the vehicle is awake and has no kind of fatigue or exhaustion, and always making certain that oneself and other passengers are always wearing a seatbelt. It is nearly impossible to focus on driving responsibly while constant distractions such as text messages or loud music are going on around you. Studies show that people check their phones over 96 times a day — or once every ten minutes — no matter the circumstances surrounding them. Regardless of the situation, every person in a vehicle should have a seatbelt on at all times, and should place any kind of dangerous distractions such as cellphones, in a place that can not be accessed by the driver. This ensures that not only the driver is safe, but other people around them are safe as well.

When I was 14 years old, my uncle was driving me to volleyball practice at my middle school. I had never been in the car alone with him before, but I trusted him to ensure my safety while he was behind the wheel. When we were about 5 minutes away from the school, his phone buzzed in the cup holder, and he reached to pick it up. While responding to the text that had come through not thirty seconds before, our car collided head on with a Toyota Camry driving in the opposite direction, crushing our front end and killing the passenger of the other car. If it had not been for his reckless and heedless driving, my uncle and the passenger of the other vehicle might still be with us today, and I would still be able to ride in a car without being afraid.

After the incident with my uncle, I vowed to always drive safely, placing my phone in my bag, and never getting behind the wheel if I am distracted or tired in any way. If all drivers on the road took the same precautions, and were cautious of other people around them, then the deaths due to car crashes would not be as high as they are now, and we could all get from Point A to Point B safely.