In the Driver’s Seat

Maya
Sandlin

In
the Driver’s Seat

There
is no feeling more freeing than the first time behind the wheel,
especially the moment that you have your license, your real license.
I still remember my first drive alone – eighteen behind the wheel of
my grandpa’s old car. Windows rolled down. The radio turned up. The
moment I pulled away from the curb through the New Jersey suburban
streets, it was exhilarating. After years of not being able to do
this, it felt almost wrong but liberating at the same time. No mother
sat in the passenger seat clutching the handle on the ceiling of the
car. No father yelled at me to slow down and use my blinker sooner
and take this road. I could go on any route I wanted. Drive anyway I
wanted. I was totally in control. Despite the beautiful freedom that
driving enables, it endangers many people, especially young drivers.
Irresponsible behavior behind the wheel can cost people their lives.

As
a college student, I have witnessed this behavior and sat as a silent
bystander in some circumstances. I am grateful to have never been in
a dangerous car accident, and fortunately, neither has anyone close
to me. However, behavior such as getting behind the wheel intoxicated
or texting only heightens the chances of this occurring. A lot of
assemblies throughout my education preached the danger of these
decisions, and this awareness is undoubtedly important. More
education should be available through presentations at schools.
Social media could also be a useful tool to spread this message.

One
potentially overlooked step to reduce the number of deaths related to
driving is empowering the passenger for their own safety, the
driver’s safety, and other driver’s safety. The passenger does
not have control of the car and cannot be held accountable for their
actions. Nevertheless, they could play a crucial role in making
highways and the roads safer for everyone. Spreading the message
through schools and social media is undeniably important but a young
person is much more likely to listen to their peer. As a passenger
though, this might seem intimidating. Thus, I propose education for
the passenger to communicate kindly but effectively to the driver the
importance of road safety if they notice irresponsible driving.

I
am committed to becoming a better and safer driver. I plan to take
steps such as turning my phone on do-not-disturb when I get behind
the wheel to avoid any potential temptation. In addition to that,
creating a playlist for when my phone is on the auxiliary cord to
avoid the distraction of switching songs, even if I plan to do it
just at stop signs or red lights. One of the main goals is to become
a more responsible passenger to ensure the safety of myself and the
people I care about that get behind the wheel.