Driving is More Than a Driver and their Car

We all know there is a requirement to get your driver’s license when you are below the age of 18. You have to take courses, get your education. It’s expected, we are young and driving is a very serious thing to do. It puts not only your own life at risk but also the lives of others on the road. Driver’s education is just one of the ways we try to reduce those deaths. Some people see it as a waste of time and energy, maybe even money, but driver’s education is anything but that. It teaches people the very basics we need to understand before getting into our cars and driving them. To drivers a lot of the knowledge in these courses seems common sense, something everyone would already know. In reality, the education in these courses is something no one knows unless they have driven for a long time. My drivers education course taught me a lot not only about the laws and what to look for while driving but also my car. Understanding the way our cars operate is something completely different on its own. The more people who are aware of the small things while driving will reduce deaths on its own. Paying attention to the lights on your car, how you are feeling before and while driving, making sure the drivers around you are paying just as much attention. These are just a few things they ask you to remember while learning driver’s education, but there are a plethora of other things that these courses teach drivers that would help reduce accidents and deaths. When looking at ways to reduce the deaths related to driving, some things we can do is focus on individual health and the health of drivers around us. Not many take driving seriously, so it is something fun they can do to get away. There is a point though where this fun experience becomes dangerous. Not all drivers pay attention to their individual health enough, and some may even brush it off. We have off days, or days when we are feeling sick and out of it. It is these types of moments where drivers need to take responsibility for their condition and stay off the roads. Encouraging safe driving through health is not promoted enough. We hear no drinking and driving or making sure to stay off of your phones but people do not realize that being on the road when you are not completely healthy is just as bad. Ignoring your body in the hopes that you will feel better in a bit is just as dangerous as driving while intoxicated. I have witnessed many drivers on the road who were half asleep and swerving at the wheel. On one occasion it was a semi truck that was doing this, almost hitting me and my mothers car as well as multiple cars in front of us in the same lane. Multiple miles in we decided to call the cops to have them checked because if they were going to continue driving like that then someone was bound to get hurt. I have also grown up with an uncle who, sadly enough, did not care to follow no drinking and driving. Consequently he has gotten pulled over multiple times by the police and been dealt with. But everytime he has engaged in this dangerous and irresponsible behavior he has gotten into accidents. He has had multiple cars towed, or left well beyond use. It is drivers, and mindsets, like this that leave people dead or injured. He has been lucky enough to never end with someone dead or permanently injured but he has nonetheless left caused accidents for not caring enough about the safety of everyone on the road. To become a better driver I make sure that I always feel comfortable enough to drive, and that I am in the right state of mind. I often turn down driving because I have a major migraine or am not feeling well. Although, theoretically, I could drive, It would not be safe to do so. This along with making sure I am eating well and drinking well before entering a car, is so important. If I am ever feeling in a way that makes it unsafe for me to continue driving then I will pull over, find somewhere near me to stop at, or have someone else drive me. No safety is ever worth just making it to another destination. I also encourage my friends to do the same. I have waited with several friends when they’re not feeling well enough, and I have even driven them where they need to go in order to avoid them being behind the wheel. Driving is so much more than just getting to your destination. It is about being aware and careful with your surroundings. Being aware and considerate is what keeps others safe, and caring about your own health as well as the health of others is what will get you places safely, and ultimately reduce any accidents or deaths related to driving.