Stop accidents before they stop you

Drivers ed Initiative Award – Summer 2019

Name: Roselle WATKINS
From: Tampa, Florida
Votes: 43

Driving is a huge
responsibility that must be learned in steps and practiced over and
over. We have to drive safely, obey the traffic laws, and respect the
rights of other drivers. Not only should we concentrate on our own
driving, we should also be well aware of the other vehicles around
us. Driving safely also includes how and where we park our car.
Passengers in our car put their safety in our hands and expect us to
drive safe as well.
 Driving is primarily a thinking
task, and you have a lot of things to think about when you’re
behind the wheel: road conditions, your speed and position, observing
traffic laws, signs, signals, road markings, following directions,
being aware of the cars around you, checking your mirrors — the
list goes on. Staying focused on driving — and only driving — is
critical to safe driving.

There are a lot
of reason that can cause car accident only just a matter of seconds,
one is distracted drivers. Distracted drivers are the top cause of
car accidents in the U.S. today. In order to safely drive a car, you
must give the road your full attention. Drivers that divert their
awareness — whether it’s to talk on their cell phone or send text
messages to their friends — risk the lives of the other drivers on
the road. Distracted driving is especially dangerous because
automobile accidents caused by distracted drivers can occur in the
day time or night time. It’s a scary thought for me.

When you think about your actions in a car, other than just driving,
you can see that they often involve more than one type of
distraction. For instance, if you change your radio station, not
only do you take your hand off the steering wheel to press a button,
but you also take your eyes off the road to look at what button you
want to press. Also, drivers who engage more frequently in behaviors
that are distracting to their driving are more likely to be involved
in an automobile accident or near-crash.

Speed is another
cause of car accident. Sometimes 30 mph over the limit. Speed kills,
and traveling above the speed limit is an easy way to cause a car
accident due to losing control of the automobile. The faster you
drive, the faster your reaction time will have to be to prevent an
auto accident unfortunately there is a limit to how fast you can
react to a given situation.

Drunk driving is
another cause of car accident. When you drink, you lose the ability
to focus and control your motor skills which reduces your reaction
time which makes it very dangerous when operating a vehicle. Driving
under the influence of alcohol causes car accidents every day
although it as the top cause of accident.

It is our
responsibility, as a driver, to know the laws governing driving
privileges. We should have a good attitude when we drive. We
shouldn’t be stressed, tired, or distracted rather we should be
focus only on driving. We need to be both mentally and physically
capable of controlling our vehicle at all times. Remember, driving is
a privilege and not a right.