Taking the Extra Step

Driver education is the first step to take in reducing the amount of car accidents that happen. Education is the key to success and knowledge is power. Education will save lives. Teaching the youth and re-educating every generation of drivers of important tips to remember when driving is crucial to the overall safety of the community . This will enforce second guessing choices people may overlook that are made at the wheel. People will not know to avoid possible distracting factors while driving if they are not educated on the consequences of these actions. The public will now know that there are differences between impaired driving, distracted driving, and careless driving, and that all types of driving will put you and others at danger. Educating the public on safe driving will ensure that there are no gray spots for driving. Making rules for driving crystal clear so there is no confusion. Drivers will know what is acceptable and what to keep yourself from making thoughtless mistakes and preventable accidents. This preventative action will directly reduce the amount of accidents and car deaths that occur. This education is especially crucial to the youth because they are new drivers and lack experience. Common sense can only go so far in terms of knowing not to drive under the influence, however, it’s not always crystal clear that distracted and careless driving could be as fatal.

Both education and accountability are steps to take in reducing deaths related to driving. With education, it is important to specify examples that fall into the categories of distracted driving, careless driving, and driving under the influence. For example, careless driving would include not checking your blindspots, not looking both ways before turning onto a street, and recklessly driving on the road. Speeding up to get past a light when it has already turned red, not being familiar with the rules of the road and when you do or don’t have the right of way can all lead to fatal accidents. This includes educating yourself on traffic laws that may be location specific when driving into new areas. Secondly, education on the dangers of distracting driving are just as important. Many people think if you are not under the influence, doing other activities while driving isn’t nearly as dangerous. However, this a myth because anything that takes your mind off driving and your eyes off the road can be fatal. This can be eating while driving, drinking a beverage while driving, talking on the phone, texting, reaching for fallen items, trying to play music, and possible distraction. Lastly, driving under the influence. Educating the public on how your perception under substances is so altered that people already have problems seeing, walking, and communicating their thoughts, leaving them clearly in no state to get behind a wheel, and operate heavy machinery. Clarifying to the public that driving under the influence doesn’t only involve alcohol, but includes marijuana and any medication previously taken that can make you sleepy or affect any of your senses.

I have thankfully never been involved in a car accident, but I have been a witness to people driving irresponsbility. Here, the first step to take is to hold accountability. I have caught my mother eating while driving, or talking on the phone and I have caught my dad texting while driving as well. It is necessary to call these people out. Your loved ones may not purposely put you in danger with these driving mistakes, however they need to be corrected and educated on how to do better and act safer. I offer alternatives to people I see driving unsafely. For instance, I say “hey I can send that text to you” “You can pull over somewhere if you want to eat” “I can drive if you can’t wait for that call or meal.” As a passenger, I offer myself as a resource to the driver in doing whatever they need. If this involves reading directions, and repeating myself over and over just to make sure the driver doesn’t peep over at my phone to look at the map themself, I will do so. I am lucky to have not been in an accident, but when one does occur, the whole community feels it. One of my classmates was in a car accident that happened right by the school, and the driver was under the influence. My classmate did not make it through and I still remember when everyone found out in school. I remember how devastated we were when it was processed that it was one of us and how mad we were because of this preventable tragedy. Driving under the influence, and driving irresponsibly kills lives, innocent lives. Everyone thinks that it can’t be them, that nothing can happen to them until it actually happens. We are not indestructible, and our actions have consequences.

There is always room to improve yourself, and ways I work on becoming a safe driver involve me taking the extra step to think before I step behind a wheel: I put away my phone, and remind myself I can eat at the place I arrive at, I do a mental checklist: no am not under any medication that can possibly affect my perception, and clearly I have not consumed any alcohol or drugs, I remind myself that the goal is to arrive to my destination safe and sound and leave. These extra steps take minutes, even seconds to run a checklist through your head. I help others by constantly reminding people of alternatives when tempted to look at something else while driving. Even when my friends want to scroll through their music playlist to find a song, I offer to play it for them, type it in for them, or queue something for them. Any time my driving friends leave my house, or leave any hangout I always check in with them to make sure they are okay to drive. Obviously, they are sober, but I check in for their tiredness, and if they are mentally feeling okay to drive. If not, I always present myself as an option to drive them, and always offer Uber/ Lyft as possible actions. Taking this extra step is always worth saving a life. I remind and assure the people I either hold accountable or question that I am doing this for your own good and because I care about you. I want to see my friends and family get home safely, I would love to see everyone get home safely and try to leave an impact on the people I am able to: the people that are in my life.