Drive Safe, Save A Life

Running late to class in 2015, I drove through an intersection thinking that I looked both ways before proceeding. My car went spinning uncontrollably as I collided with a vehicle, and my head began to fill with so many thoughts. One of them was, “I did not see that car coming.” In reality, I was in such a rush, I didn’t look completely both ways to make sure there were no signs of any oncoming traffic. I trusted my peripheral vision which is an extremely dangerous mistake no one should ever make. Thankfully we were all okay, but a freshly planted almond tree did slightly suffer. I drive by it from time to time and it’s a reminder of why I ALWAYS look both ways and drive responsibly regardless of any personal events going on. Nothing we are experiencing in life is too important to practice road safety.

Driver education is essential if on the road. It is our responsibility as drivers to make sure to utilize the information gained from driver education courses to be safe and consistent. Driving can start to become secondhand nature so we tend to forget there’s more to it than just “driving.” There’s rules and regulations put in place to keep everyone on the road safe, which limits the number of deaths when behind the wheel. These are some simple steps to reduce the number of accidents and deaths when driving: drive the speed limit, direct all your attention to the road, limit distractions in the car to the best of your ability, avoid aggressive driving, leave early to get to your destination, use turn signals, look over your shoulder, adjust your mirrors, check your lights, and wear your seatbelt. There are so many more ways to ensure your driving is safe but those are some good habits to practice.

Being that a motor vehicle is used on the road, a way that I can be a better and safer driver is by getting my automobile checked routinely. I personally am not very car savvy. However, some automotive businesses provide complimentary inspections and will notify you if anything on your vehicle is requiring attention. I’ve had an experience where my tires were about to reach an area that would soon be dangerous to drive on. I made the responsible and adult choice to get my tires changed to guarantee that there would be no risk of an accident due to worn tires. I feel like another step I can take to be a better and safer driver is to avoid other driver’s blind spots. The uneasy feeling when driving definitely comes from not knowing what another driver will do. In this case, being in another one’s blind spot and for some reason they don’t look over their shoulder before switching lanes, could result in a wreck. I would attempt to either slow down or switch lanes to remove myself from another’s blind spot. This altogether, keeps both the other driver and myself safe.

Having the ability to get from one destination to another is a luxury, in my opinion. It is a blessing when we all get to where we’re going safe and sound. This will always be possible if every driver works together to practice safe driving and use the resources learned from driver education courses.