The Endless Possibilities

Driver education plays an essential role in reducing the number of deaths as a result of driving. Not only do they teach the universal rules of the road, but they emphasize that you are operating a minimum of three thousand pounds, and it is serious. If driving school did not exist, not only would it be utter chaos but there would be a lot of confusion about what to do at a four-way stop sign or a roundabout.

As cruel as it sounds, the best way to reduce the number of deaths related to driving is to touch people’s hearts with horrifying stories. I recently just went through the process of driving school, and I do not think that the dangers of driving were emphasized enough. Of course, they show you the outdated videos of the consequences of texting and driving and things of that nature, but it seemed so far from what our lives look like now in 2023. Driving school does a great job of teaching the rules of the road but it fails to emphasize that you have everyone’s life around you in your hands when you are driving.

I have family members that have fallen victim to a drunk driver, and I have a family member who has put the people around him in serious danger while drunk driving. A few years ago, my cousin was driving home one night with his girlfriend and his best friend, and they came to a red light. A few seconds later he was faced with a head-on collision by a drunk driver leaving the bar driving on the wrong side of the road. My other family member was driving irresponsibly and intoxicated. He fell asleep behind the wheel and ran a red light nearly killing two women inside a car that he hit in the intersection. While these stories are heart wrenching and hard to hear it is something we need to acknowledge as a possibility every time we get into our cars.

At eighteen years old I already have two close family members who have been in or caused serious car accidents.

The first step that I can take to be a better and safer driver and help others become safer as well is to be aware of the possibilities and think about the consequences. We can do this by learning about the accidents that happen every day. We all need to learn about people who lose their life every single day due to little things some of us may do without even thinking twice. I will get a text message notification while I am driving, and I have this undeniable urge to read the text. Then I think about how many people have crashed their car because they’re looking down at their phone and I immediately do not want to read the text anymore. Just the thought of crashing my car and no longer having a vehicle to get around makes me not want to read the text. When you add the element of potentially losing your life or killing someone else it takes it to a different level. I strongly encourage everyone to think about the consequences of their actions not just to keep yourself safe but also for the sake of everyone in your path.

The second step that I can take to be a better and safer driver as well as help others be safer on the road is to keep a safe following distance. Sometimes when I am in the car while my friend drives, he gets really close to the car in front of him without even noticing. As we have all learned in driving school keeping a safe following distance of three to four seconds gives us more time to react to whats happening in front of us. All in all, this has been proven to prevent accidents that could potentially be fatal.

The third and final step I could take to become a better driver as well as help others be safer on the road is to drive defensively. When my mom was teaching me to drive, she always said to drive like everyone is out to get you. As dramatic as this may sound it is something that really makes you think while you’re driving. It makes you aware of the fact that everyone operating a vehicle has the power to end your life and their own.

Driving a car is privilege that comes with a duty to make educated decisions for the sake of your life and everyone around you. There are too many car accidents from easily avoidable situations. Think about the consequences of the endless possibilities that could happen while behind the wheel. Think about how your family would hurt if you were gone. Think about the people whose lives are in your hands. Everyone means something to someone, and no one wants to be the reason a life is lost. So let that text sit until you get to your destination, know that any amount of alcohol is enough to be impaired, and know that the rules are to keep you breathing.