Looking Ahead

I have come very close to being in multiple accidents. Most people can probably say the same, even if they were not the one at fault. One instance was when I was driving with a friend and my twin sister around town. We had just eaten and were pulling out of the restaurant parking lot to go grocery shopping. There was one lane of traffic backed up and stopped at a light, but I didn’t realize that the other lane next to it was still open. I started pulling out while looking to my right for cars, but then I almost got hit by a car coming from the left. It was a truck, and they were driving fast, so it startled me when I saw them shoot past right in front of us. If I had pulled out a foot or two more, I could have gotten everyone in the car hurt. There have been other times when I just didn’t see someone coming. I must admit that all of these scares could have been prevented by paying attention to my surroundings. I could have taken more time to look around instead of being impatient. 

I know that other individuals have had many similar experiences and there are people involved in crashes every day. That is why it is so important to be educated, aware, and alert while driving. Driver education, whether through a program or from driving practice with adults, gives individuals practical knowledge about how to deal with the road and what to do when the situation becomes potentially dangerous. It is the foundation from which we become comfortable with driving and form good driving habits.

There are also many steps that could reduce the number of deaths from car accidents. I feel like people around me are starting to hear and think about the frequency of deaths from car accidents more, but there is still a lot of work to do. One way to make the roads safer is by enforcing driver education programs and the number of hours that students have to drive with an adult. A way to keep people aware of their own driving would be to require the driver’s manual to be read or the driver’s test to be taken more often after obtaining a license. Another preemptive measure would be teaching children through school or parenting about safely crossing roads or riding bikes along the road. Parents should also be knowledgeable about how to place children in car seats and communicate without becoming distracted. Awareness about these topics among parents, new drivers, and people of all ages can increase with advertisements and fundraisers. Even talking about personal experiences from car accidents or close calls in a serious manner instead of brushing them off as things in the past would help. These steps will make others more aware of the very real possibility of getting into a car accident when they are driving or crossing the street.

There are other measures that can be taken to reduce car crashes. I have witnessed many bad driving habits and have a few of my own. The most talked about one is not using a phone. A prime way to do this is to turn it off and put it somewhere out of reach. If this is not possible, then pulling over or connecting it with the car to use it without hands is sometimes an option. Having both hands on the steering wheel is also an obvious way to keep someone focused on the road and in control of the car. Sometimes I also lose focus when I am tired. Even though it is a compromise, listening to music helps me stay awake. The best solution is to get enough sleep. Other distractions, such as eating, putting on makeup, etc., can become very dangerous. Talking with other people is hard too because it splits the driver’s attention away from the road. This happens to me frequently when my friend is in the car, so sometimes she realizes that I am trying to pay attention to the road and she says that she will let me focus. If someone else is in the car, it is better for them to converse and not the driver. Setting boundaries and rules for driving beforehand about when it is okay to be distracted and when it is not can help save lives. Anyone can serve as a role model when they drive carefully and tell others their rules when driving. This is especially important for public transportation or carpooling to events when there are many lives resting in the driver’s hands.

Overall, driving is a common and important task that helps society function, but it is also very dangerous. Many deaths can be prevented by simple education courses and practice, forming good habits, and being aware of the road. As the basis for our driving, education is essential to drivers of all ages. We all need to be more alert to potential dangers and safe driving practices. It is important to always look ahead and at our surroundings when driving instead of being distracted. There are many ways to prevent dividing our attention and ultimately harming ourselves, loved ones and friends in our cars, pedestrians, and individuals in other cars. The roads would be much safer if we all take a little time to reflect on the dangers of driving each time we sit in the driver’s seat.