Dangers of Driving

Being behind the wheel of a car is an exhilarating experience in and of itself however it comes with great responsibility. This vehicle gives you the ability to go almost anywhere you want, whenever you want. It is a liberty that many people partake of across the world, and is a prime example of what it means to be free. The act of driving oftentimes places one in a calm state of mind, but it is this state of complacency that invites the dangers associated with driving. As you move down the road at high speeds, your safety lies within a yellow line separating you from other cars moving at high speeds. Driving may seem like a simple activity, but it is built on the awareness of the driver and mutual trust between all others on the road.

Hundreds of thousands of people die as a result of distracted driving on a yearly basis, and the number appears to be increasing. In this day and age, when more and more people are allowed on the roads, accidents are bound to happen. The issue is that most of these accidents can be prevented with a certain level of cognizance.

Most people feel the need to use their phone while driving, as a way to “pass the time,” but this has proved itself to be one of the leading causes of accidents. There are signs and warnings everywhere, advertising that people put their phones down for the duration of their car trip. That “one little text” can translate to the inadvertent sacrifice of someone’s son or daughter. The dangers of phone usage can be curbed through more strict enforcement of the law, efforts by cellphone companies to include a restrictive “driving mode,” or, simply, through a shift in the driver’s mindset.

As a fairly new driver myself, I am constantly reminded of the dangers associated with getting behind the wheel, be it through my parents, the media, or the physical evidence of car wrecks that I sometimes pass on the road. One of the requirements for me obtaining my license was to attend a drivers ed training program. As part of this program, I had to sit through an 8-hour video detailing virtually every aspect of driving. Though most of the concepts had already been made known to me, there was a low chance of me remembering everything from the video. It is these dull and monotonous activities that are associated with driving, along with things such as regular maintenance and the DMV, that give people a nonchalant attitude towards driving. I believe one of the best ways to stay alert while driving is to institute your own fundamentals that you practice each time you begin to drive. After a while, it becomes a solidified part of an instinctive routine.

There are many other instances of distracted driving, such as when somebody chooses to have a couple of drinks before heading home or decides to drive through the night. Simple decisions like these are what cost many people their lives. Every trip on the road should be considered appropriately and respectfully, recognizing what is potentially at stake. At the end of the day, the change has to start with the driver’s willingness to rise above themselves and take the lives of others into consideration.