Not Everyone Deserves To Own a Car

It was meant to be a normal day to school. My father was driving my brother and me to school. I was eight years old at the time, and my brother was four. My mom was also in the front passenger seat on her way to work. As a kid, I always enjoyed watching vehicles pass by on the road, and that day was no exception. I was staring out the window when BANG! My father’s car had been hit hard and crashed with another car before we even understood what had happened.

When my father stepped out of the car to investigate the issue and determine who had hit the car, we noticed a young man wearing a face-cap who didn’t appear to be sorry for his conduct. I had learned about basic traffic signs and road safety in elementary school just a week before; that class resonated in my mind clearly. As I turned around to see my father talking to the young man, I realized he didn’t have a license plate, which was something my teacher talked about in class. No one was hurt, although a part of the car was seriously damaged. The man left at the end of the day, and my father had to deal with the problem that had literally almost made us lose our lives and caused us to be late for school.

It’s possible that man didn’t have the proper documents or training to drive with other cars, and that this reflected his destructive nature and lack of driver’s education experience. Teenagers are always ecstatic when they have the opportunity to get a car at the age of 16 or 17. To be honest, most teenagers behave incredibly cautiously and carefully when they are given the opportunity to drive a car right away. Having the ability to drive a car gives you more independence and personal space. We all look forward to this as we get older, especially during our youth years of development.

Regardless, when we become comfortable with having privileges and fulfilling desires, we begin to take them for granted over a period of time. In the case of having a car, with the newfound freedom that teenagers and youths are exposed to, there is a temptation to overstep because no one is around to warn us. According to the law, until the age of 18, a person is still considered underage and must be protected by their parents or guardians. This indicates that some 16- and 17-year-olds have a tendency for immaturity.

Road accidents can be quite traumatic and result in a lot of deaths, so proper driver’s education is extremely important. Forbes reported over 20,000 people died in motor vehicle crashes in the first half of last year. Isn’t that absurd to think about? According to research, people who have received proper driving education are less likely to be involved in car accidents than those who have received no training at all.

Although I am excited at the thought of being able to drive and getting a car, I have not gotten driving lessons or a driver’s license. Because of this, my plans to purchase a car have been put on hold until I gain the necessary experience and education to operate one. I wouldn’t want to be held accountable for someone’s death or serious injury.

Even after receiving proper training in how to drive a vehicle, some people continue to take their education for granted and become irresponsible on the road. We must learn to be more cautious and respectful of other road users in order to avoid additional car accidents. “When driving on the road, act as if everyone else is mad and you’re the only sane person on the road,” one of my teachers once told my classmates and I. The analogy here is that you must keep your eyes on the road at all times, avoiding distractions. Something one of my friends does when he’s driving is to makes a conscious effort to make sure that all of his passengers are comfortable. Although he has all of the relevant paperwork to drive, he prefers to hear from a different perspective to ensure that no one is uncomfortable and that no accidents occur, which I find to be really thoughtful.

With my story, I hope more people focus on getting proper training to safeguard the protection of themselves and others. I sincerely hope that the number of people in car accidents decreases over time.