Oh How the Little Things Add Up

Driver’s
education is not for avoiding accidents, but for avoiding the things
that can lead to accidents. One quick glance to your phone, one
‘little drive down the road’ without your seatbelt, one moment is
all it takes to either save others lives and yours, or to lose it.
When taking my drivers ed course, the first thing they
taught us before even getting into the vehicle was to check the car
from the outside; we looked for leaks, cracks, or even small animals
or children that might be around the car. These extra ten seconds
could save someone’s child or save you from the hassle of a tow
truck from a leak that you could have seen from your home. Once you
get into the car, the next step is to park that phone, even using the
do not disturb feature until you get to your destination. No
distractions, no accidents. Once your phone is parked, the next thing
you should hear is the seatbelt click. Then and only then should you
turn on your car. While driving, be sure to check your mirrors every
7-8 seconds, sometimes in crowded cities or high-traffic times on the
freeways, I do 5 seconds. Also, check the surroundings of the car,
the road conditions, the cars next to you, ahead of you, and even
behind you. The little things add up, and for driving, these
precautions will add up to saved lives, lower insurance rates, and a
better, risk-free drive. I will never forget the day I got the phone
call about my dad. How he didn’t see the road dip. How he couldn’t
avoid the concrete jersey wall. How he couldn’t avoid the ditch.
How he couldn’t avoid the tree. My father was blessed with the
ability to walk away from this accident, but things could have been
way worse. Not only was my father speeding on the back-country roads,
that have no shoulders and tight turns, but he was looking at his
phone instead of the road conditions. Now, when my father drives, I
hold on to his phone. If he needs to receive calls, texts, or emails,
I call them out for him; when he wants to respond I type for him. As
a passenger in the vehicle, I too take responsibility in using driver
education to keep the vehicle, and the passengers in it, safe. As the
saying goes, two heads are better than one, and four eyes on the road
is way better than just two. Driving is a privilege, not a
requirement, and every trip on the road using a vehicle, is a
blessing.