The Difference Between Life and Death

Lydia
Carpenter

The
Difference Between Life and Death

I
was 16, driving home from work in my mom’s minivan. I put my
blinker on and pulled into the left turn lane. My light was red. I
waited. As I sat there, two cars approached the intersection. One, a
shiny red sedan, the other, a bulky white SUV. The sedan had a green
light, and assumed they could safely cross to the other side.The SUV,
like me, had a red light, but, unlike me, they did not wait. I
watched as the SUV rammed into the side of the sedan, hitting it so
hard it was pushed onto the opposite side of the road. After the
initial collision, the SUV ricocheted toward me. I closed my eyes and
braced myself for impact, but about three feet of space saved me. A
young boy, my classmate, was driving the sedan. As I opened my door I
heard him yelling and crying before collapsing onto the pavement. The
women operating the SUV stumbled out of her car, and upon seeing me,
took off on foot.

It
was one of the scariest moments of my life, and two years later I
still get anxious approaching that intersection. Before that night, I
had never experienced any sort of car accident. I’d of course been
through drivers ed, and was a safe and cautious driver, but
I don’t think I understood just how important it is to educate new
drivers until that moment. Drivers ed isn’t just another
stepping stone to getting a license; it can be the difference between
life and death. Driving is the most dangerous thing a person does on
a daily basis, and there is an innumerable amount of scenarios that
can happen every time you get behind the wheel. I remember my
instructor telling me that driving is a privilege, and if you abuse
that privilege, you will lose it. Whether that be by a suspended
license or death, no one can say. That stuck with me, and every time
I get in my car I remind myself that I’m not just responsible for
my own safety, but the safety of every person around me. My
instructor has likely saved hundreds of lives, simply by educating.
By sharing real life, heartbreaking stories of the consequences that
occur when drivers don’t take their responsibility seriously.
Fastening a seatbelt reduces the chance of death by about 50%.
Putting your phone on silent takes a second, and will greatly
decrease your likelihood of being one of the 1.6 million crashes per
year that occur due to texting and driving. Express concern when you
see family members or friends driving irresponsibly, refuse to move
your car if they refuse to wear a seat belt. Understand that you
aren’t just getting from point a to point b, you’re operating a
heavy machine that has the potential to kill yourself and others. Let
yourself be educated when you’re in drivers ed, but more
importantly, share the knowledge you gain with those around you.