Prevenative Measures

Drivers ed
Initiative Award: In the Driver’s Seat

Arianna Newcomb

March 27, 2020

Preventative Measures

Driving can potentially be fatal, not only to yourself, but everyone
around you. Two of the biggest factors in auto-related deaths is not
paying attention, and being under the influence. Knowing how
substances physically affect your body and judgment are vital to
preventing under the influence accidents. I think it should be more
pushed to show the legal effects of this as well. Some people are
more willing to avoid permanent legal punishment. Therefore, they
will be more aware of their substance intake before operating a
vehicle. I have found that most people simply don’t appreciate the
responsibility they have while operating a vehicle. When you are more
knowledgeable about the mechanics and maintenance of a vehicle you
are far more aware of the dangers in operating.

To
reduce driver deaths, we should have a week in High School where
students research all kinds of driving related topics and make
presentations. The school should show more of the legal punishments
that can occur from DUI’s to Manslaughter charges. Many people
don’t think about the possibilities of such serious charges and the
permanent effect they have on your record. Dealing with these charges
is also very expensive. High School should also have a basic
automotive class. This class would give the students an idea on how
to change tires, change oil, diagnose minor problems, and an
opportunity to further this topic with an elective class. This is
valuable lifelong information. One might find safe driving more
important than they did before these classes.

One thing you cannot prepare for is driving in bad weather. When I
was 16, I had a few small bumper accidents. They taught me to keep a
safer distance at all times. When I was 20, I had a near death
accident. It was in the middle of the night and in the middle of
nowhere. The snow had been coming down for hours and turning to ice.
I was on a 2-lane highway on my 45-minute commute home from work. A
semi-truck was not respecting that I had reduced speed for safety and
sped right past me. The wind from his high-speed pass made me spin
out on some ice. I was then face to face with another semi-truck. I
knew one thing, I was not going to have my mom identify my body
splattered to pulp, so I turned my wheel as hard as I could into the
highway median and away from the semi-truck. I was very shaken and
still often refuse to drive in snow or ice, but I survived without a
scratch. My vehicle however, did not survive.

Keeping
caution and situational awareness with me always is a big step to
safer driving. My mother is a mortician and I love sharing her
stories to promote safe and sober driving. Teaching others about
different perspectives on the road helps open their mind to being
more aware and understanding too. Driving is a huge responsibility
that we cannot forget.