Less Than A Second

Less
Than A Second

My
life was about to change. I just passed my permit test and was
excited to start learning how to drive. Earning my own independence
and being about to drive my friends around town would be a dream come
true. I would no longer be a burden on my parents and rely on them
to be my chauffeur. Freedom! Then I had my first driving lesson.

My
father drove me to an empty parking lot. The first thing he said
was, “This is a weapon of mass destruction.” All of my confidence
about driving being a piece of cake was thrown out the window.
Driving was much harder than I thought. I put the key in the
ignition, gripped the steering wheel, and switched my foot from the
brake to the gas pedal. Fear flooded my brain. I thought, “A car
crash can kill in less than a second. A bad decision on the road can
take less than a second. People die in less than a second. I could
be one of those people if I am not being diligent.” This made me
realize that driving is no joke and should be taken very seriously.
If everyone fully understood the rules of drivers ed, there
would be hardly any accidents at all. Everyone would be safe,
conscientious drivers, respecting others on the road wherever they
go.

In
order to reduce the number of deaths related to driving, aspiring
drivers should complete an online drivers ed course. This will
help ensure that aspiring drivers will look at the road more
carefully. They will start paying more attention to their
surroundings while riding as a passenger. They will learn the rules
of the road since they will see the rules in effect. For example,
when they’re running errands they will see the correct way to go
about a four way stop. Questions will arise and they can ask the
driver how to approach certain situations.

Fortunately,
I have never been in a car accident but I have seen others driving on
the road irresponsibly. When my dad and I were driving on the
freeway, there was a car in front of us that was swerving in and out
of the lanes. It looked like it could be a drunk driver. My dad put
on the hazard lights, flashed the headlights and honked his horn to
alert the driver and others, and then moved a safe distance from the
swerving vehicle. That moment was very scary for both of us because
we had the chance of being hit by that person. We were very lucky.

Driving
irresponsibly or distracted is extremely dangerous and puts others at
risk, even careful drivers can get into terrible accidents. Trust is
an important aspect in driving. For example, we trust the other
driver is going to stay in their lane, but too much trust on the road
is dangerous. One has to assume that a mistake is about to be made.
We have to look ahead for the danger that is about to happen.

In
order to be a better and safer driver, as well as help others become
safer on the road, it is important to practice mindfulness.
Mindfulness is being present and observant in your everyday life. It
helps people make the best decisions for their safety on the road and
it also helps people be kind to one another. It’s peaceful and can
help prevent road rage. If you practice mindfulness, you can teach
it to your friends and family, who can then pass it onto others.
Mindfulness also helps people realize that time spent with loved ones
is precious. Everyone wants their loved ones to be safe so drive as
if they were on the road with you, safely. This mentality will
greatly reduce the number of fatalities related to driving, resulting
in a happier and safer world for everyone to go about their daily
commute.