I Blamed The Construction

Driving to high school was always a dangerous game at 7:30 a.m. Students ages 14 to 18 were on the roads, tired and not in the slightest bit excited for the day ahead of them. This same situation is where I found myself one Monday morning. I had to change my normal drive to school because there was construction on the road I usually took. Because of this alteration in my normal route, I decided that since I would be driving past a gas station, I’ll make a quick stop for gas before heading to school. As I pulled out of the gas station parking lot, I turned left without realizing a car on the main road was coming straight at me. I looked to my left milliseconds before I got T-boned by this car. My airbags went off as my car skidded across the remainder of the road. Luckily no one got hurt, but because of my poor judgment, both cars were totaled. I knew that I was the one who made the mistake and was aware that I should not have turned. Although I took responsibility, sometimes it is easier to blame something like the construction that changed my route than myself.

I grew up in Minnesota, where you could not get your permit until you were 15 years old, your license at 16, and still had to wait a couple of months until you could drive with people other than family in the car. Thus, when I moved to South Dakota, I realized that they did things a little differently. There were 14 years old who could drive without taking the Drivers Ed class and could drive with anyone in their car. As I went through high school, I realized how dangerous the roads were because of the young drivers. Even though I had the option, I still did Driver’s Ed because it was important, although it may not be the most fun. I learned so much about the rules of the road because of Driver’s Ed, and it made me much more comfortable once I got behind the wheel. As people begin to feel more comfortable and confident when driving, it can result in lower death rates due to poor driving.

It is easy to say that going to Drivers Ed will help with the deaths related to poor driving. Although a positive addition to your driving knowledge, other options are more proactive regarding improving our roads’ safety. One option is doing a refresher course for drivers. As we age, we go by our instincts instead of the true rules once learned in Driver’s Ed. It would be beneficial for all of us if we were given the option to do a refresher course on driving every couple of years. One of the biggest factors in deaths related to driving includes alcohol. Being under the influence while driving puts everyone, including yourself, in danger. It is selfish to decide to drive when you are not in the correct mindset. Creating better awareness for drunk driving is something that we, as a community, could do. We cannot alter people’s behavior, but helping people comprehend the outcomes of their actions and how they can affect those who come in contact with you is important and convicting.

After my car accident, I was terrified to start driving again. Without my car, I took about a month where I hardly drove, and when I did, my hands were shaking and sweating. Now, after a couple of months, I am much more aware of my surroundings when I drive and make sure to know what is happening at all times. Sometimes when driving, we can start thinking we are invincible, although that is far from the truth. I put my phone on ‘do not disturb’ and keep my music medium to low volume. I try to be aware of the other cars around me, knowing that I don’t have control over their actions, but I want to stay receptive. Even though I would love to continue to blame the construction for my crash, I have had to ultimately take that responsibility onto myself. I am so grateful for Driver’s Ed, as it taught me what to do when I get in a crash and how to respond to the police officers and all involved. As I tell my story to others, I hope they find a sense of understanding as they head out onto the roads and appreciate the totality that comes with one little mistake on the road.