Driving and Thriving

Kaitlyn Gay

Drivers Ed Scholarship

Driving and Thriving

In an instant, the world changes, everything known becomes unsure and frightening. This is particularly how I felt, riding in the passenger seat, spinning into a railing. My mother and I woke up, expecting an average day, only to be met by an unexpected path. The driver that hit us ran a red light due to paying more attention to her phone than the bright red presented above her. Fortunately for us, no one was hurt; however, the look in my mom’s eyes will forever change the way I look at driving. The fear that made us rethink our lives, will forever be an experience I would wish on no other. After the incident, I quickly learned the dangers of driving and how unaware some individuals are. My first time behind the wheel was very unsettling, I felt as though my parents did not trust my abilities. It took some time for me to understand that they were more fearful of careless drivers but overall trust mine. In Drivers Ed, the only thing that stuck with me was the images that we were shown of accident victims, specifically the ones from texting and driving. With that being said, I think it is vital to present these images to any new driver, not to scare them, but rather so they are self-aware of the damage they can inflict. From my standpoint, I suspect that if people were aware of the harm texting and driving can create, that they would attempt to limit their screen time. While this may be a temporary fix, teenagers are eventually bound to want to reach for their phones, it is almost an innate instinct. When that happens, parents should already have added the texting and driving feature to their phones. Apple launched a new feature in 2017 that puts a lock on the iPhone, making the driver unable to text and drive. This feature is essential because it allows the instinct to be disrupted. Even if eventually the teenager turns off the feature, the need to respond will be diminished due to the fact that they will understand that the message can wait. Prior to the restrictions, many will have the idea that it is dire to respond as if their life will depend on it. Breaking this habit will ultimately reduce the chances of a crash primarily due to texting and driving. Furthermore, some calls can be significant to pick up which is why the Bluetooth feature is necessary for the vehicle. Bluetooth has potentially saved live considering drivers are able to talk on the phone and maintain focus. According to this idea, newer drivers, particularly teen drivers, should have cars that have a Bluetooth feature. Despite its often expensive nature, the cost of life is incomparable. Rather than selecting leather seats, the driver should direct attention to the requirement of this feature. Unfortunately, texting and driving has become more prevalent in our society; however, with education and the demand for certain features, hopefully, the crash rates will decrease significantly.