From Apples, To Apples

The juice of an apple flies onto my cheek. As I take a bite, I discover apples have seeds and my mind is blown. Before I can swallow this bite, my apple flies out of my hand into the front passenger seat. My neck and head thrust forward, my head hitting the back of the seat in front of me. The shiny red Suburban that I loved was now compressed, hiding in a cloud of smoke and dust. Someone had slammed into the rear of our car on my way home from ballet class. That day, I discovered a new fear, that still spooks me to this day. Fifteen years later, this moment remains completely engraved in my mind.

It was not until I was 18 that I decided to drive, constantly afraid that I would be in another accident, and not be as lucky as I was the first time. In high school, all of my friends started getting their licenses after turning 16, temporarily reigniting my fear of being in cars. When I was a sophomore, one of my friends had offered me a ride home on an excruciating summer day, but I panicked and declined. In that moment, the scorching sun seemed safer than putting my life in someone else’s hands, particularly someone my age. On the exhausting walk home, I received a phone call from her, thanking me for not joining her, as she had hit a car exiting the school parking lot.

There is something I have noticed as my time in cars has increased over the years; the evolution of technology has become an addiction- or even an epidemic. People around the world have become so addicted to their phones that even in such situations that require their undivided attention, they willingly choose to make dangerous decisions.

Suddenly, taking a selfie behind the wheel was a way to prove celebrity status in high school. Nothing was more personally significant than showing others you could drive, but more importantly, that you had a car to be driving. The mere head reast in the background was enough to show others the power of social class and inherited wealth. Albeit, the cherry on top was posting these images on social media for everyone to see. On one hand, these pictures were the ideal way to be desired and envied by others. On the other hand, these pictures showed me who I could never get into a car with.

Another contributor to these large numbers is drunk driving, or driving under the influence. Even though drinking alcohol is only permitted to those over the age of 21, minors still find a way around this rule. However, drunk driving accidents can happen to anyone who drives after having a mind altering substance. Every day, about 32 people lose their lives from accidents relating to drunk driving (nhtsa.org). Driving is said to be the most dangerous form of transportation. The irony in this is that even planes and boats have become safer options. Planes and boats do not travel on land, and are still safer than driving in a car. Practicing safe driving is extremely critical in preventing the driving death rates from increasing. All it takes for things to change is intention and respect. If each person made the decision to remain our of the driver’s seat when impared, over 11,000 lives would be saved each year in the United States alone. This is a simple solution to decrease the number of lives taken annually relating to car crashes, and it quite literally is to not make that decision, not drive the car.

Before getting my license, I had to get my permit, as is the case in many if not all states. Having had a fear like mine, I made sure to study as much as I could to ensure my driving would be safe. Every week taking practice tests, reviewing my driving course, making sure I understood the rules of the road. I do not know if I would have been as inclined to go the extra mile if I had not been involved in a car accident when I was little; this indicates safe driving skills are not promoted across the nation in the way they should be. People who got their licences 20, 30, years ago may not remember what the speed limit in a California neighborhood is, or how many minutes after sunset headlights are required to be on. Reteaching these details may keep drivers more alert and aware, decreasing their chances of becoming irresponsible drivers.

Practicing safe driving has allowed for me to find a job in which the lives of others are placed in my hands. Being a nanny for children with special needs puts so much responsibility on my shoulders, but I take it with love because the children mean everything to me. Taking them to the park for a picnic is something so special to me. Because they are still little, I cut up their apples into small slices for them, but I do hope their first time encountering seeds in an apple is much more positive than mine, and I will do everything in my power to ensure this comes true.