Speak Up

Speak
Up

We
have all heard the horror stories, we have all seen the pictures and
names on the news, and many of us have been victims of dangerous
driving. Why do we continue to allow this disease to spread, and why
do we spread it ourselves?

There
are many reasons why we don’t speak up in a time when we know we
should. When I was young, I used to get into the car with someone who
drank. I wanted to spend every second I could with him, and holding
back my thoughts was the only way to do that. As an adult I realized
how foolish I was. I should have told my mom, I should have spoken
up. I was lucky I never got into an accident, but luck is not what we
should trust our lives with.

In
today’s society, the largest component of dangerous driving is
distracted driving. A common mindset behind those who drive
distracted is “It won’t be me who dies from this.” However,
many of us have lost people we knew, people we worked with, people we
walked the halls with, people we love. Despite all the commotion
about distracted driving, it is still shocking to see and hear their
names on the news– we never thought they could do such a thing. 

Distracted
driving goes further than texting and drinking– it comes in all
shapes and forms, and people can be distracted by anything. This is
why it’s vital to take that drivers ed class seriously, to
actually study for that written test, to keep your eyes moving from
mirror to mirror, to keep both hands on the wheel, to check your
blind spot before changing lanes, to keep an eye on your speed.
Remembering to take these precautions can save not only your life,
but the lives of others. 

Many
drivers don’t remember to take these safety measures, don’t care,
or don’t know to do so. Only a little over half of the states in
the U.S. require teens to take drivers ed courses before
obtaining their licenses. Because of this, there are so many drivers
on the road that have not been exposed to the advanced instruction
that comes with a drivers ed course. All drivers, regardless of
age, should be required to take drivers ed classes before
obtaining their licenses. 

At
the end of the day, one of the best ways we can spread awareness and
encouragement to new drivers is to share our stories. Unfortunately,
when the tragedy of a fatal car accident happens closer to home, it
makes this issue so much more personal and realistic. Our stories can
be influential and have the capability of revealing the truth about
the dangers of driving. Being educated, whether in the form of a
class or a personal story, will open people’s eyes to the
importance of safe driving.