In the Driver Seat

As an insurance representative, I’ve heard some crazy stories about car accidents and incidents. Driving is not a joke and it does need to be taken far more seriously. Many people around the world have stories to tell whether it’s a family member, a friend or even themselves alone who have been involved a scary accident. People don’t realize that many incidents result in death. When driving, it is very important to remember that there is no need to be in a hurry. Driving irresponsibly has the potential to cost someone’s life or yours.

Being involved in an accident can cause trauma. When I was involved in an accident, I became afraid to be a passenger in a vehicle. I can’t stay calm when I am riding with someone, even my mother. I get so nervous and would much rather drive myself or just stay home. Over time, I have even become afraid to drive myself. My brother always says “assume the people around don’t know how to drive and it will make you be more aware of your surroundings.” Driving is a big responsibility and should not be taken lightly. Not only can accidents cause trauma, it causes death. Irresponsible drivers get fairly large consequences if passengers are killed in the accident. According to www.goldmanwetzel.com, “In the state of Florida, vehicular homicide is a second- degree felony. If you are convicted of vehicular homicide, you can face one or both of the following: A fine of up to $10,000. A 15-year prison sentence.” This is reasonable considering how many people die due to these accidents. It is not uncommon to hear about an accident involving a death on the news. According to www.nhtsa.gov, “An estimated 20,160 people died in motor vehicle crashes in the first half of 2021, up to 18.4% over 2020. That’s the largest number of projected fatalities in that time period since 2006.” As an insurance representative, sometimes the company does not even accept people who have been involved in accidents due to their lack of responsibility. As it is call an “accident” for a reason, Americans should look for ways to prevent these high numbers from rising and work to bring them down and it can be as simple as taking a safe driving course.

Young drivers are, in some states, required to do a course before getting a learner’s permit or their license but is this enough to bring these number down? Many of the incidents involve teen drivers but many are adults as well and targeting one age group will not be enough to bring the numbers down. There are defensive driver courses and safe driver courses approved by the DMV for adults and teenagers as well as “mature drivers” who are citizens over the age of 55. “Driver Education is FREE for Florida students and available online 24/7, so you can learn when and where is convenient for you.” (www.flvs.net). It does not take much to be extra safe on the roads. It costs absolutely nothing to take a course to better understand how to prevent accidents. When citizens are issued a ticket, they usually recommend to complete a traffic school course that is available online. “Our video course is Florida State approved. $8 plus a state processing fee is the standard cost for a traffic school course and we don’t charge you a cent more. It’s the cheapest course you will find. By law, our course length is 4 hours.” (www.defensivedriving.com). Not only can these courses prevent deaths but tickets too! There are many reasons why it’s a good idea to take one.

Bringing together the information from various sources can help show the importance of driving safely. Some people don’t even need to see the numbers because they believe it already due to their own experiences. Being behind the wheel is not a joke or an easy task to brush off your shoulder. The consequences of being responsible for an accident involving a death is far too large to risk it. Speeding to get to where you need to go is not worth the ticket or even the accident that it can cause if you were to lose control. We can all slow down and remember there is no rush when driving. Pay attention to your surroundings and take a small course while it could save your life along with others’ lives as well. Let’s work to make these roads safer