Until It’s Zero

On October 22nd of this year, my best friend called me while she was driving home from a soccer game. She was ecstatic that they beat their rival team and told me all about it. We talked for a while about boys and school and the next time we planned to see each other. She was going through a canyon and started losing service so I told her to call me back when she got home. Twenty minutes later she was killed in an accident. While I will never know what really happened that night, the first responders on the scene said she hydroplaned into the other lane. She hit a pickup pulling a trailer.

A life-altering experience like this makes you realize too many things. Life starts to feel a little different, and a lot more fragile. I think one of the most important things I have come to realize is how dangerous driving is. I have been much more careful about watching my speed and trying not to drive unless I have to when the weather is less than ideal. You feel invincible when you’re young, but the tiniest mistakes can be fatal.

One of those mistakes is distracted driving. It is the number one cause of car accidents. Like I said earlier, I don’t know the reason she crashed. I know she is smart enough to not look at her phone when driving especially in such bad weather. In fact, she almost always handed it to me when we were in the car together. But, too many teenagers get into accidents because they are distracted. Whether it is by a text, a song, something in the car, or something on the road, distractions are everywhere. There are restrictions about texting and driving and awareness spread about how dangerous it is. However, focusing on the road and driving responsibly is a choice that is entirely up to each individual to make when they are driving. We can make that choice easier by encouraging friends, family, and other loved ones to drive without being distracted by their devices and ensuring the vehicle’s environment stays undisruptive.

Another hazard on the road is driving under the influence. Drunk drivers cause about 30% of all traffic crash fatalities. According to the CDC, that is 29 people every day. One person dies every 50 minutes because of drunk drivers. The worst part is that all of these incidents are preventable. It is obvious that people are going to make bad choices while under the influence, but we can help others make the right choices so they don’t become part of this awful statistic. Being supportive and dependable can make others feel more inclined to reach out if they need help or if they need a ride. If we’re observant, we can prevent some of these accidents from happening by speaking up.

There are also ways to make sure our vehicles are safe enough to be driving. Checking tires and brakes frequently are especially important to safety. When tires get worn out, there is less space to distribute sitting water on the road and prevent hydroplaning. Making sure tires are in good condition can help immensely during the colder months making it safer for the driver of the vehicle themselves and for others on the road as well. Having good brakes is important to being able to stop on time in a suddenly dangerous situation. Sometimes undupervised children or pets wander into the road and put themselves in danger of getting hit by a car. Unfortunatley, no one can control when wild animals are going to run out into the road. However, if drivers are attentive, alert, and focused, most of those accidents would be preventable. Having good quality brakes to be able to stop in those situations also makes a significant difference. Being educated about your car and when it needs to be inspected is essential in keeping it in good condition that is safe for you and for others.

I have always been aware of how dangerous driving is and can be. But being aware and being serious are different things. As one might assume, drivers safety has become immensely important to me lately. The thought of any more of my loved ones being killed in an accident terrifies me. And what’s worse is that the chances are very high and the odds are very likely. Sometimes accidents just happen, but if we are more attentive, we could prevent most, if not all of these accidents from occurring. There is always something we can do and another angle we could look at it through. We must all do our part to be well-educated and more attentive to automotive safety because the number of deaths caused by car accidents will never be low enough until it is zero.