“Teach One, Save One”

Young drivers in my generation who have not completed driver’s education are more likely to get a traffic ticket and are more likely to be involved in a fatal or injury accident. Driver education is not about getting your license and driving automatically. It’s about the Do’s and Don’t’s when driving a motor vehicle, It teaches you to be a safe driver. If more individuals take the class of drivers educations and think more about their lives, families, and not just a license we would have fewer fatal accidents. In some cases, some people get their licenses and don’t know or forgot how important the rules and regulations are. Always remember that you are not the only one on the road, drive the speed limit. Back in middle school and going on field trips and seeing cars driving fast I used to think that was so cool. Until I realize when I got older that it could be dangerous for the individual whose driving and other people who are on the road as well. When on the road always drive the speed limit, if someone goes around you, let them. When driving the speed limit you make sure you are safe and those around you are safe as well. No matter how long it takes, as long as you get to the destination safe is all that matters. Wearing a seatbelt is very important, not only for the driver but for everyone in the vehicle as well. When having your seatbelt on it secures you in position, if your vehicle begins to skid or spins a little, your seatbelt will hold you in the ideal position. When wearing a seatbelt it prevents ejections, Your seat and everyone else who’s wearing a seatbelt in the vehicle will keep you inside your car and increase your odds of surviving a crash. As for motorists and bicyclists, always have your helmet. When having your helmet on it protects your head just in case you get into a wreck with another vehicle. Never drink alcoholic beverages while driving.

When drinking and driving you are not fully aware of what’s going on around you, You’re risking your life and the people who are on the road as well. If you are going to an event that has alcoholic beverages, let a close friend take you home or get a “Taxi or Uber”. You’ll rather be safe than sorry. Knowing the traffic signals is a major priority when on the road. Green means “Go”, Yellow means “Slow Down”, and Red means “Stop” which might be easy for us to know but not for everyone else. When on the road you always have to look around before you even go or stop, at a four-way intersection the light can say red and you see a car still going and not stopping. Never automatically go, it can be a car coming out of anywhere and that can cause a preventable accident. When driving on the road for a long period, take breaks. Very useful to take breaks, we all get tired close our eyes for a minute and forget we even went to sleep. The last place you want to do that is on the road, especially at night. Never text and drive. When driving connect your phone to your vehicle. If you are unable to do so, you can always put your cellular device on do not disturb. It’s better to keep your phone silent than to cause an accident where that message or phone call could have waited. Have you ever had someone tell you to “ trust your gut” On October 16, 2021, My hair appointment was at 12:30 p.m. And when I looked at the time it was already 12:25 p.m., Something in my head was telling me not to drive and take a Lyft. At the time I did not have my license but I still had my permit. On certain occasions my mother would let me drive her vehicle while she’s in the car with me and at the time she wasn’t home so I drove her car unsupervised. When I arrived at my destination it was raining and I was in the middle of the street getting ready to make a left turn. As I get ready to turn, I turned the wheel to the left and pushed on the gas, and ran into two poles. Puzzled wasn’t even the word to describe what happened that day. My phone was broken and I had to go into the hair salon and use my hairstylist’s phone to tell my mother that I crashed her car. 23 minutes later the Urbana police department came and asked me few questions and gave me a traffic ticket, my mother was devastated and so was I. Although the car was fixable 2 weeks after, I’m blessed that nobody else got hurt. I received my license in March 2022 and now I drive with my mother everywhere I go. Think before you act. One incorrect decision while driving can cost someone’s life. Cut out distractions, While listening to music sometimes can be fun but it can also be very dangerous. It’s okay to turn down your music just a little bit until you are comfortable driving with the music on at a medium-low volume. Do not depend on other drivers, most of the time some drivers are not even depending on themselves, they’re depending on you or someone else. Stay in your lane at all times and pay attention to your surroundings. Staying focused by checking your mirrors, road conditions, road markings, and observing traffic laws are all very useful and important for safe driving.