The Importance of Safe Driving

Driver education is very important for people who plan to be on the road. Driver education teaches you not only how to drive physically but mentally too. If you stop at every stop sign and obey every rule it doesn’t always mean you won’t end up in a deadly car accident. Some car accidents may not be caused by you driving. There could be a drunk driver coming towards you and you need to know how to handle those kinds of different situations which drivers education will teach you.

To reduce the number of deaths due to car accidents, I think more people need to know about defensive driving and how to handle situations on the road. Drivers need to know how to control their vehicle if they go over a patch of ice and lose control of their car. They teach a lot how to drive perfectly but not enough about what to do if accidents do happen and how to gain control back from the situation. If there is another person coming towards you that seems drunk you should pull over and report them so the rest of the people on the road are safe also. People need to be better about not only their own driving but how people are driving around them and their actions. They could be on their phone not paying attention and swerve into your lane. Its then your job to notice that and get away from the dangerous situation.

Ive had many experiences with people driving irresponsibly. A lot of my friends use their phone when they are on the road and it is very unsafe. I explain to them that distracted driving is like playing a basketball game while playing on your cellphone it doesn’t work. Plus, the consequence is not missing the shot its death or serious injury. Another experience I’ve had was very scary. My sister and I were on our way to school on a highway with cruise set to 60 mph. I was in the passenger seat not old enough to drive yet and I was trying to do my makeup which also is irresponsible because all passengers in the vehicle should be alert because they might see something the driver didn’t. Anyway, we were on our way to school and suddenly we flew into a steep ditch going 60 mph with cruise on. My sister had fallen asleep while driving. Luckily, we were okay but there could have been a car coming and we could have hit them. Overtired driving is just as bad as drunk driving.

I could definitely improve on my driving skills as well. Everyone has room for improvement. I admit I sometimes eat while I’m driving or change the song on my phone while I’m driving. I should not do these things because it’s not only putting myself in danger but those around me. Instead of changing the song I should use Siri and have a hands-free phone while driving. I should also wait to eat until I am home or parked in a safe place to eat. Driving while eating is a lot more dangerous than some would think. My older sister was having a donut on her way to school and it fell on the floor. She took her eyes off the road for just enough seconds to pick the donut up and she went off the road, overcorrected, and rolled her car 8 times. Her car was completely totaled and smashed. The police have no idea how she survived but she made it out of the accident with only a concussion sore muscles and seatbelt burn. Something we should do to spread awareness of the danger of distracted driving is not talk about what could happen if you do it but what has happened. People should tell their stories about what happened to them when they drove while distracted. It will become more realistic and make people realize that it really does happen a lot. I also think police should become stricter about pulling people over for distracted driving. There are many times that cops just let it go. I also think it would be a good idea for police and emts to share their experience when they had to go to a scene of a car crash. My sister was scarred from her car crash. She didn’t ride in a car for 2 weeks after that and then when she did, she would cry and panic and jump at every little bump we went over. Car accidents can and will happen to you if you don’t drive as if you had your newborn baby in the car. It can change your whole life. Think behind the wheel before you do behind the wheel. I hope this essay was informing and changed your views about how you should drive. Thanks so much for listening

-EllyAna Davis