Awareness is everything

In the late 1800s, germs were discovered. Before this discovery, doctors had theories that illnesses were caused by evil spirits or peculiar odors but nothing was proven. We now know that many illnesses are caused by the spread of germs. Germ theory being proven was a turning point for public health and western medicine. Going forward, we learned that contamination happens constantly and in medical settings, sterilization is necessary. Today, we know to wash our hands to avoid spreading germs and to wear a mask if we have a bad cough. To avoid cross-contamination, chefs follow strict procedures and surgeons wash their hands for 5 minutes prior to surgery. Essentially, the awareness of germs led to the progression we see today. Awareness invokes change. In order to reduce the number of driving-related deaths, we must increase peoples’ awareness of how to drive safely.

When I was learning to drive, I took lessons from a man with a red Prius. During my lessons, he told me to stay off my phone and to always use my blinker, among other common sense things. One thing he said, however, stayed with me: the best thing you can be while driving is aware. This phrase has stuck with me so much so to where I recite it to people as they’re leaving and believe it should be shared with other drivers. While it is ideal to be aware both when one is driving and of how to drive safely, awareness cannot exist without accessibility. If one doesn’t have access to something, it is impossible for one to be aware. My parents were paying upwards of $80 for each of my driving lessons. I Was fortunate enough to be given access to an excellent drivers education, but others aren’t that lucky. Making drivers ed programs, seminars, and information more accessible is a step to raise awareness and therefore reduce the amount of driving-related deaths. Reducing the cost, increasing the number of resources available, and doing outreach work are all ways to raise awareness.

While driver education can certainly reduce driving-related death, it can’t eradicate it. On April 23, 2019, an 18-year-old boy died in a collision in my hometown of Placerville, CA. Around 7:30 that night he ran a red light, drifted into the opposite lane, and was pronounced dead on the scene. While we weren’t close, we had classes together and he had become a part of my life. I will never forget the weight I felt when I found out what had happened. No one knows if he was on his phone, trying to reach something, or possibly intoxicated but one thing is clear: he wasn’t aware. It is important to not only spread awareness about safe driving but to also honor those whose lives have been lost and use situations like these to further educate others.

Safe driving needs to be a priority throughout one’s life. Currently, people can get their license as early as 16 if they have their permit for six months and complete a driver’s education course. From there, their license needs to be renewed every eight years. As a new driver, driving safely is fresh in the mind but tends to fade during those eight years. Over time, people often modify driving rules. What I learned in my driving lessons is different from what my mom told me to do, and what she told me to do was different from how my friends’ parents taught them. For example, my mom has always said to go with the flow of traffic on the highway while my best friend’s mom told me to create the flow of traffic. This example shows that if not regularly brought up, rules for safe driving become subjective. Drivers of all ages need to be aware and up to date on how to drive safely to not only protect their lives but the lives of others.

As a driver, it is crucial to understand the risks of driving to protect oneself, the passengers in one’s vehicle, and other drivers on the road. Multiple lives are in the driver’s hands so they need the awareness to drive safely. This means using blinkers, keeping distance between cars, and staying off of phones; all of these things are part of staying aware. Whether it be germs or safe driving, awareness is necessary to invoke change. Making people aware of the benefits of driving safely as well as the repercussions of failing to do so is the most efficient way to reduce driving-related deaths.