Defensive Driving

Car accidents happen, but we don’t plan for them to happen hence the name “accident.” The fact is that there are over 6 million car accidents a year. Unfortunately, it is very likely you will be in one at some point in your life. So how can we prepare for the inevitable?

My mother has taught me many valuable things in life, but perhaps the most important lesson that she taught me was that all drivers are dangerous. She taught me to be a defensive driver as her dad had taught her. She told me to always be on the lookout for reckless drivers as they are the ones more likely to cause an accident. If you can spot these drivers early, you can prepare yourself for what they might do next in an effort to avoid a potential car accident.

This skill has been one of my most valuable assets on the road. Especially in winter, where snow and ice are one of the highest causes of accidents. Defensive driving isn’t just about dangerous drivers, it’s about dangerous driving conditions, such as snow, ice, rain, and fog.

Defensive driving is a very useful method for preventing car accidents. Drivers should always be on the lookout for potential dangers. These include reckless drivers, weather conditions, worn down roads, and animals. According to the CDC, “Teens are more likely than older drivers to underestimate or not be able to recognize dangerous situations,” which leads to an increased number of car accidents.

It’s important that one knows how to handle such situations when operating a vehicle. For new drivers, it may be scary when you find yourself firsthand in these situations. As someone who has only driven for one year, I can attest to experiencing many new situations on my own.

The two things that have helped me the most in those situations were my mom’s words and the Drivers’ Education course I took. Being in the car with multiple inexperienced drivers, the unknown became an everyday experience while I was in that car. Whether I was driving or not, I learned something new, and when we weren’t driving, we were watching videos and presentations on important things such as what to do when your tire pops or how to handle fog and white out conditions, among many other things. Drivers Ed helps you become more comfortable and confident behind the wheel and it is a great way to improve your driving knowledge.

Nothing is scarier than coming close to a car accident except being in one. I still remember the night we got the call that my mom was t-boned by a 17 year old newly licensed driver who wasn’t paying attention and only looked right when making a left from a side road. Unfortunately, it was dusk, and my mom couldn’t see the car that was coming. By the time she knew that inevitably she was going to be hit, she was only able to brace herself. The accident left my mother with a concussion and an undriveable car that required several months of massive repairs. She needed a new passenger door, windshield, hood, and axel. As a child seeing her mother so shaken up, and her car so damaged, I was afraid. But then to be in a similar situation as my mother years later, was a whole other experience.

My dad, sister and I were on our way to a school event and we were less than a block away from the school when a car hit my dad’s car. I wasn’t driving and luckily the only damage to his car was a small dent. The reaction of the other driver was one I will never forget. He was very apologetic and just like me, my dad, and sister, he was very shaken up. All of us were worried, though it was about different things. This goes to show that it was in fact an accident, and it all came down to a single decision: not to come to a stop at the stop sign.

A year later while driving, I came close to getting in an accident of my own. In Drivers’ Education I was going straight, but another new learner coming from the opposite direction was taking a left turn. She didn’t see me and started to go. Luckily, I saw her before she hit me and was able to avoid a collision, by taking my foot off the gas and braking. This is where my mother preaching about defensive driving came in handy for me. Of course, there were extra safety precautions in place, such as the teacher having his own brake pedal (which he used when necessary).

People make mistakes, we’re only human after all. That is why I propose that all drivers go through a drivers’ education program that includes a defensive driving section, to prepare drivers for all possible situations whether it involves another driver, an animal or weather conditions. Prepared drivers are safer drivers.

“Teen Drivers and Passengers: Get the Facts.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 21 Nov. 2022, https://www.cdc.gov/transportationsafety/teen_drivers/teendrivers_factsheet.html.