Stop and Think About It

Twenty thousand one hundred sixty. That is the estimated number of motor vehicle fatalities that occurred in the first half of 2021, across the United States (National Center for Statistics and Analysis). More than 20,000 families lost a loved one, a friend, or even someone they knew. In comparison to the first half of 2020, there was an increase of approximately 18.4%. Within only a year, there have been one too many deaths due to motor vehicle related accidents, some of which could have been prevented, and it all starts with the knowledge of driver’s education.

Drivers’ education is a formal course or program that informs and prepares those who are new to the road. Many teenagers are eager to get behind the wheel and on to the road but what they do not think about are all the rules and safety precautions they will need to put into place. Driver’s education is specifically important in those times because it serves as the foundation of the concept of driving along with the rules of the road. It creates a safe environment for everyone, the eager teens and the ones who may be nervous as well. You get to learn about the importance of being a responsible driver. Being able to comprehend the information provided to you in these courses is just the beginning. Once you are comfortable enough to practice on the road, that is where everything you learned is going to be tested. You should follow the rules to avoid accidents and keep yourself and others safe as well.

In addition, a few steps that can be taken to reduce the number of deaths as a result from driving can be to avoid distractions, driving at a safe speed, wearing your seatbelt, and not driving under the influence. Avoiding distractions while driving include being on your phone, whether that be texting, on a call or changing your playlist, they are all the same in the sense that your focus is on something else aside from the road which should be your only priority. Driving under the influence is never ok, whether it is drugs or alcohol, none of it is acceptable. It impairs your ability to function properly and make rational decisions. When behind the wheel you should be very alert and aware of your environment. Traffic and driving laws are put into place to help ensure safety for all but many individuals on the road do not obey these laws which often more times than not, unfortunately, lead to countless tragedies and accidents.

Personally, I have only ever been involved in one car accident, when I was around 13 years old. Thankfully, it did not result in any fatalities, but it was still very scary and unexpected. As we were driving, we come to an intersection where the other car was supposed to stop because of the stop sign on their end. Due to the person behind the wheel in the other car, being on their phone, they were not paying attention and ended up running through the stop sign and hitting the front of our car. As I said before I am grateful that there were not any injuries or fatalities, but in a moment like that you cannot help to think, ‘what if they were going faster and tipped over the car?’ or ‘what if there were other vehicles around involved?’ Those ‘what ifs’ are realities in other in other motor vehicle accidents and are often the ones that end in tragedies. This situation could have been prevented if that person just kept off their phone and waited at the stop sign like they were supposed to. There are so many other stories out there about motor vehicle related accidents whether it be driving under the influence or speeding, and I am here to say that it is not worth it. By not being a responsible driver, you are putting at risk not only your own life but so many other innocent lives too. Getting to a place early because you were speeding or saying “I’m not that drunk to drive” is not worth it at all.

We all can be better and safer drivers by simply being aware of our surroundings and thinking about safety first. Unfortunately, there are still many individuals out there who choose not to follow the rules and do not think about others safety which is why we must keep spreading awareness to this topic. Motor vehicles are a part of our daily lives, they are a key component in our mode’s transportation, so it is of the upmost importance to be able to create a safe environment for everyone to reduce the number of injuries, deaths and accidents caused by those on the road. So, stop for a moment and think about your actions and how they can affect those around you because it can cost an innocent life.