The Benefits of Safe Driving

“Thump” I felt the car thud as I looked back and saw my worst fear come true; I had backed into my neighbor’s car. I jumped out of my car on a crisp September morning, hands covering my mouth in tears as I ran to get my mom out of my house. I couldn’t understand what had just happened. My neighbor had always parked their van in front of my driveway, and I had always backed out in a way that missed it. Unfortunately, I didn’t miss it this time. My mom agitated at me, got my neighbor, and he came out trying to calm my endless tears. “It’s ok,” he said, “things happen, don’t cry.” He was probably too nice, but I was beyond lucky he was kind and didn’t unleash chaos on me. I ended up getting my car taken away for a month. As a senior who had to be picked up and dropped off by her parents, I learned much about driving while emotional. Had I taken a minute to breathe and left a little later, even if it meant being tardy to school, I could’ve avoided a fiasco with my neighbors.

I’m not the best driver, but I’m learning about the importance of safe driving daily. I was lucky that my accident was minor and occurred in my neighborhood instead of on the road, where someone could have gotten hurt. Safe driving is more than keeping yourself safe and keeping your car from looking bad. It’s about keeping others safe. Every day, millions of people get into their cars and drive to work, school, or the grocery store without worrying about safely making it back to their families. Yet, according to Value Penguin’s car crash statistics, over 14,000 people get into car crashes daily. Car crash injuries and deaths are the saddest because cautious driving can always prevent them. Unfortunately, it can be easy to disassociate from others on the road. Still, when drivers do that, they stop caring about the fate of their neighbors and are more inclined to drive recklessly. Taking the proper precautions to drive safely and to be mindful of the people around you save a lifetime of pain and guilt for the families of the victims and those responsible for the accident.

There’s a quote from The Great Gatsby that Jordan Baker says after Nick Carraway calls her a bad driver. She says, “‘They’ll keep out of my way,’ she insisted. ‘It takes two to make an accident.’” In this quote, she builds on her opinion that she can be a reckless driver because other people are careful. It often seems that most people on the road share this mindset, which causes many accidents. When on the road, most people, including myself, think that the accident we hear about or see will never happen to us. Yet, we are putting everyone in danger by placing the responsibility of careful driving on those around us instead of ourselves. By driving safely and being aware of our surroundings through consistently checking mirrors, using the blinker, and leaving plenty of space between our car and the car in front of us, we can take responsibility for our actions and learn the value of responsibility. By being responsible, drivers can control their actions, take on the skills they learn from driving responsibly, and apply them in other areas of their life.

The most important effect of safe driving is learning responsibility and keeping others safe. Still, another reason why safe driving is essential is its financial benefits. Car insurance is costly, especially for teenage drivers, and can average more than 800 dollars a month for new drivers. However, some insurance companies lower the cost of insurance for safe driving, making it even more important to drive safely. The opposite effect is true, as insurance costs rise when more accidents happen. By driving safely, drivers save money on insurance. Drivers can also save money on medical bills and bodywork by driving safely. I’ve learned through my accident that bodywork can be extremely expensive, especially if a driver has an older car. By being more cautious, I could’ve saved a good bit of money.

All in all, cautious driving is essential to learn responsibility, keeping others safe, and being financially responsible. Driving can be intimidating, and accidents scare people into avoiding driving. However, safe driving is not as hard as one might think. It takes practice to build safe habits, but it is not impossible; through experience, safe habits grow. For example, since my accident and getting my car back, I’ve learned to leave more room between vehicles and to be cautious of the brake lights in the car in front of me so as not to have to throw on my brakes in a frenzy. Driving is an essential aspect of society, and through safe driving, drivers can make the world safer for all.