Slow Down and Reconsider, It May Just Save Your Life

It was the end of the academic school year at UCLA. A week prior to finals week, I bused down to my home in San Diego to pick up the only car in my family. I decided to drive back up to Los Angeles so that I would have my car readily available to move out. Little did I know that this trip would teach me valuable lessons about safe driving.

After a week of stress from UCLA’s infamous finals, I fell sick with a cold. Now, this cold was like any other cold, except now I had to drive 125 miles south to get back home. To add on, it wasn’t just my cold I had to drive down with, but also with my 2002 small and slightly broken Honda Civic that was packed with all of my belongings. After a full day of packing my tiny sedan with all of my possessions, I was exhausted, and this was all before starting the long drive! Thankfully, my boyfriend urged me to rest, and I decided to stay with a friend near UCLA instead.

I am so glad I did that.

After 48 hours of recuperation, I set off on the journey back to San Diego. Despite my constant sneezing and my Kleenex box disappearing, I was focused on the road and determined to reach home safely. Passing through LA county to Irvine, making it through the long stretch of Oceanside, I finally made it to San Diego. I was ecstatic knowing that home and my bed and my favorite soup that my mom made was all within arms reach. 20 miles left. Happiness. 10 miles left. Joy! However, just as I was almost there, my car’s temperature gauge began to rise alarmingly. Now, I’m definitely not a mechanic but my small white Civic started overheating. My irrational fear of cars unexpectedly blowing up like a movie scene, combined with my very distracted driving of watching the thermometer, I had to pull over. Fearing the worst, I pulled over and considered driving the last ten miles despite the overheating. However, my mother’s wise counsel prevailed, reminding me that safety should always come first. And to shorten a long story, I did exactly that. With relief, I arrived home after what-seemed-to-be an eternity waiting for my car to cool down.

Reflecting on this experience, I realized how my initial determination to drive with a cold and an overheating car could have led to disastrous consequences. Had I driven down initially during my cold with heavy exhaustion, I’m certain I could’ve gotten into a crash and injured myself or even injured other people. In addition, if I continued driving distracted due to the overheating of my car, I’m sure that either my car could’ve broken down first on the highway, potentially causing an accident, or I would’ve gotten into an accident myself due to how diverted my attention was. Thankfully, I had people in my life to shine a light on my wrongful thinking.

In fact, it was only after this experience that my mom finally revealed the reason for her lack of driving. To provide some context, I am the only one in my household that has a driver’s license. My older sister learned how to drive during her college years and subsequently taught me. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to have gotten my driver’s license, as having a car can easily become a luxury.

However, it wasn’t until this event occurred that my mom disclosed the true reason behind her decision to not drive. It wasn’t a lack of hard work or determination, but rather an ingrained fear. In the past, my uncle used to drive my mom around the broken roads of Tijuana while he was drunk, which led to two scarring accidents. These incidents left a lasting impact on my mom, causing her to feel paralyzed by fear when it came to her learning how to drive.

This could have been preventable.

In a suburban city like San Diego, a car becomes nearly indispensable. Had my mom learned how to drive, it could have saved me from waiting for an hour on public transportation to reach my high school, reducing the commute to just 10 minutes. It could have saved my mom the extra effort and instead provided her the freedom to conveniently buy groceries or enjoy a relaxing day at the beach. At the very least, a car opens up possibilities.

While a car’s benefits are undeniable, it’s crucial to adopt preventable measures to ensure that these advantages don’t lead to fatal crashes. This is why driver’s education can be just as necessary as learning how to drive. A car, when used correctly, can become an asset to our lives. However, when used in an improper manner, it could be the death of us. Take the time to slow down when learning to maneuver the car. Take time to become interested in the mechanics of a car so that you are well adept to handle any scenario that might arise.

Addressing my own scenario, I would say that the most helpful advice is sharing with a community your actions with driving and listening to their suggestions. In my case, it wasn’t due to texting while driving or playing loud music that harmed my driving, but a mindset that thought I could safely reach home by doing what I thought was best. If you are ever placed in a situation where you must take a long drive, share your plan and location with someone you trust. I am grateful for the people in my life who guided me to make responsible driving decisions. In the end, they might be the reason you avoid a messy and unfortunate accident. By implementing these simple actions, we move closer in becoming a nation where fewer lives are lost due to motor vehicle accidents.