Safe Driving

The impact of unsafe drivers is huge, the amount of deaths per year just from car accidents alone is unbelievable. It is around 46,000 just in the U.S per year. My High school was greatly impacted by the results of unsafe drivers. There were 4 girls who got in a tragic accident while they were on their way to school after getting lunch. The driver somehow drove off the highway and into a fence and the girls were not being safe and wearing seat belts. Unfortunately the driver was dead at the scene. As for the other girls they were badly injured. My school was greatly impacted by the devastating news. Since then there was a rule made that no one is allowed to leave during lunch to prevent any more accidents and we still hold the girl we lost in our hearts and keep that as a reminder that we all need to drive safe as that it didn’t only impact the ones who knew them but it caused heartache for the whole community.

It is important that everyone is well educated about the importance of driver education because if those girls just took one decision to put on a seatbelt or to not drive recklessly then they would still be alive today. It is important to educate new drivers throughout their learning process. Teaching new drivers to always have a seatbelt on and never get distracted on your phone is important. Being on your phone while driving increases your chance of being in a fatal car crash by a lot and everyone should be aware of this risk anybody takes and how preventable it actually could be. If you see anyone pick up a phone while behind the wheel tell them to put it down that their life isn’t worth texting or posting a picture on instagram. Another concern new drivers experience is being scared or anxious but it only makes things worse because the aggressive drivers don’t care and put others lives at risk.

People who have been driving for years also are at risk because they get too comfortable and they think “it won’t happen to me” when in reality it could happen to anyone and it will happen to anyone. Getting too comfortable with driving makes people less likely to follow the rules like running a stop light, speeding and simply not paying attention. Not following the rules of the road can not only cause you to be badly injured but it puts other lives at risk. Just because you are late to work or school does not mean you can speed or run red lights because in the end of it all is not worth it. If you lose your life over something as little as being a few minutes late that can be heartbreaking because it was so preventable.

The steps I will take to become a better and safer driver include not texting while I’m driving, not speeding, always signaling when I’m turning, always wearing a seatbelt and always paying attention to my surroundings. These steps are such simple things that can ensure myself and anyone who is in my car will make it to the destination safely. I would be devastated if I got injured and I could have prevented it so I will take steps in my everyday life to ensure I am never the cause of an accident. Some things aren’t preventable and we can’t blame ourselves for that but the things that can be like not using our phones and going the speed limit are extremely important.

I believe that a way to reduce the amount of deaths due by car crashes is to have schools inform students about safe driving and ways they can avoid potential accidents. Informing people who have been driving for a long time is also just as important because they sometimes get too comfortable and forget the rules and start believing that nothing will happen to them. Being a college student while staying on campus I would be devastated if I heard one of my friends was involved in a car accident so every time I get in a vehicle or drive one I ensure everyone is wearing seatbelts and not distracting the driver and the driver stays off their phones. It is selfish for one to take that risk when driving others and even if they are alone it’s selfish because potentially being in a fatal car crash affects not only them but their families and the other people involved and their families. I will always ensure I am a safe driver!