2020 Drivers ed Essay Contest

It is not about the destination; it is about the journey to get there. Lately, life has given us the opportunity to think more about how valuable a person’s life is and when it comes to driving, it matters the most. Unfortunately, driving has become more dangerous and the new generations are proving that distractions are more visible than when my Mom began to drive. She did not have a phone to be constantly worried about text messages and social media appearances, whereas the newer generations are showing more vulnerability towards distractions while driving. Drivers ed is vital for the younger drivers to understand the importance of being completely aware of everything while they are driving. The more that people learn about what goes on while they are on the road the better chance that they will put down their distractions from a cell phone to a McDonald’s midnight french-fry run. The education does not just stop at the youth, because there are more steps that each individual driver can take to ensure their safety and the safety of those around them. Each person should take a second before they get on the road to relax their mind, to stop the rush of modern life. It is important that people drive in a calm and undistracted manner, because I witnessed my older brother get into multiple accidents out of these distractions. He had seizures when he was younger, but they did not occur much until he got into his third accident and almost died while having a seizure from the car flipping on the side of the road. It was something I will always remember, the fear of losing someone you cared so deeply about because of something so silly, like an email from your boss or a message about a bill that has not been paid yet. As I think of myself and how I drive, I start to calm myself down and remind myself that whatever it is, whatever is diverting my attention can and will wait. If this means I must sit in the car for 5 minutes to breath or pull over to the side of the road to get myself situated, then I will. The steps to keep myself aware, and safe, are tedious but important and I hope to remind my family and friends to do the same.