“Baseball is Like Driving, It’s the One Who Gets Home Safely That Counts” -Tommy Lasorda

“Baseball is Like Driving, It’s the One Who Gets Home Safely That Counts”

-Tommy Lasorda

Every teenager dreams about the day that they will first be able to sit behind the wheel of the car and have the freedom that they have been longing for since they were little. I know, I certainly have. It was not until I started practicing with my dad to prepare for Driver’s Ed and the Behind the wheel classes, that I realized the seriousness on which I was about to embark. I would be in control of a machine that weighs over a ton and responsible for the lives of the people who were with me as well as my own life. When I realized that, I took a fresh approach to learn how to drive. While as before my focus was on what’s the fastest way to get from point A to point B. Now, my primary focus has changed from that to what is the safest way for me and others to arrive at our destination.

This mindset should not have to be figured out by someone getting into an accident, but in the classroom or with an instructor. By teaching young adults and adults the seriousness of driving and the consequences of their actions hopefully, we will reduce the number of deaths by half. Unfortunately, in some places, teenagers and adults are not being taught by people who are properly trained and certified and therefore picking up bad habits that could lead to death or other fatalities. Driver’s Education and driving school should be one of the main priorities of the states with high car accident percentages, especially because they are teaching the future leaders of the world that while drinking underage at a party is wrong however texting on your cell phone while driving is perfectly acceptable. According to USA Today, there were a total of 42,000 deaths from car accidents in 2020 which was an 8% increase from 2019. Even under lockdown and quarantine deaths because car accidents are on the rise. This is a major concern that needs to stop now. One of the steps that can be taken to reduce the number of deaths is to encourage good driving behavior for teenagers and those learning how to drive. While there are insurance companies that do this for adults, this is not a practical means for teenagers like me who are usually provided for by their parents. However, I have found and have been using this app called Pocket Points which once you click a button that says “I am driving” or “I am in class” sets a timer and rewards you with points which you can redeem for coupons and other such gifts for being off of your phone while you do these activities. Another way to reduce the death rate would be to create harsher penalties for those who are drunk driving or speeding. Hopefully, by implementing these things, the number of deaths related to driving will be reduced as a consequence people will have more confidence in driving.

While I have been fortunate enough to have been in an accident as well as my family, all are very safe and responsible drivers. I have witnessed a terrible accident as a student driver with my driving instructor. While stopped at a light four motorcycles were coming up the right-hand lane on the right-hand side of the road. We all remarked in the car about the speed at which they were going considering where we were. My light turned green, and we had gone about a quarter of a mile when suddenly the traffic in front of us started slowing down and across the median, we saw a motorcycle that was on fire and a Cadillac SUV whose fender was a wreck. We safely exited the scene and exclaimed at our disbelief at what had just happened. During the time the events did not seem very clear, I later learned that the driver of the motorcycle had lost control of his motorcycle gone across the median and ran into the SUV, and died immediately after flying off. A few days later driving through that same area, the skid marks and some debris were still there and will probably remain there for a while. In conclusion, driving a car is not a joke that should be taken lightly, but a weighty responsibility that needs training and careful supervision for. I pray daily for the victims of car accidents who have died and for their families. I also hope that soon young people like myself and I will be able to create additional safety measures for driving as well as educate people about the seriousness of driving and the consequences of one’s actions.