“Be Present”

Ashley Sinicki

DmvEdu.Org Drivers ed Initiative Scholarship

“Be Present”

My name is Ashley Sinicki and to earn money for college, I recently began working for a grocery delivery service and I often rely on my GPS device for navigation to the customer. But, when I rely solely on my device, sometimes I am guilty of using my fingers to zoom in on the GPS map while I am driving. Luckily, I have not been involved in an automobile accident but, I recognize that it is a dangerous behavior and could have deadly consequences.

Distracted driving is a form of impaired driving due to the driver’s judgement being compromised because they are not fully focused on the road. Although GPS systems are helpful when navigating drivers to their destination, they can present a distraction because they require the same type of visual, manual, and cognitive attention as sending a text message.

Drivers ed courses teach the driver judgement, defensive driving, and about driving in all types of weather. Taking a drivers ed course is the best way to ensure you are well prepared for the road. It has been reported that teens who have not completed a drivers ed course are 75 percent more likely to get a traffic ticket and 16 percent more likely to be involved in a car accident resulting in injury or death. In order to reduce the number of deaths related to driving, drivers need to drive at a safe speed and insist that all passengers use seat belts. A driver should never get behind the wheel if they are impaired by drugs or alcohol and should never overestimate their ability to multitask while driving.

I graduated from high school last month and the main lessons that I have learned throughout the pandemic are the importance of not taking anything for granted and the importance of being present. For seniors across the country, our senior year did not end as we expected it would. The idea of expecting an outcome is a sign that it is something that is taken for granted. My classmates and I expected to have a senior trip and we expected to have a senior prom. Had we known in March that it would be our last day in school together ever, I like to think that we would have taken the time to be present, and to appreciate all of our good times together. This idea of being present should apply to driving. Instead of allowing my attention to be focused on my GPS while driving, I vow to safely pull over to the side of the road, if I am experiencing confusion locating a particular street and to no longer input information into my GPS while driving. These are simple, common-sense steps and therefore, I have confidence that I will follow through on these promises in order to be a more responsible driver. Thank you for the opportunity to apply for the Dmv.Edu.org Drivers ed Initiative Scholarship.