A Close Call

Growing up I always dreamed of the day I would get my driver’s license and be able to drive on my own! When the time came to prepare for my driver’s test, I began to notice more things that I did not notice when I was younger. In a dream, we see all of the positives and not any of the negatives that could arise in real life. Sitting in the driver’s seat for the first time was exciting and nerve-wracking all at the same time. Being behind the wheel, I was more aware of other drivers and observant of irresponsible driving. I remember one time when I was driving, I was approaching a red light. There were no cars in front of me. As I was slowing down, a car came out of nowhere. They flew past me and went through the now red light. Cars in the opposite directions slammed on their breaks to avoid a collision. It all happened so fast that I did not even have time to make sense of it. If I had been an inch or two closer to the signal light, that car would have hit me. After almost being in a car accident as a result of someone else’s reckless driving, I began to fully understand just how important a drivers ed is. If every driver was educated in safe driving practices, it would majorly help to reduce the number of deaths that occur every year as a result of irresponsible driving. If drivers were aware of all the rules, safety measures, and consequences that could result from irresponsible driving, it will help all drivers on the road to be more mindful of their actions. The actions that an irresponsible driver makes not only affect them, but they also can affect other people. To this day, I still remember this incident clearly. Since then, I have compiled a number of steps to help not only myself become a safer driver but also to help others become safer on the road too. One step is to place your cell phone in a bag or somewhere where it is not seen as you drive. Also, when changing the music station or song, it would be better to use the buttons on the steering wheel instead of using the dashboard. The key in these steps is to eliminate losing your focus from the road for things such as a phone or your dashboard. If these steps are taken to eliminate the loss in focus, drivers will be more focused when on the road. Along with these steps, practice, patience, and focus can help to reduce the number of deaths related to driving.