Drive for the Others

Tanisha
Srivatsa

Fremont,
California

I
was eleven when my mother got into the car accident that would change
our lives forever. It was a distracted driver that had impulsively
driven a red light, turning right into my mom’s car and totaling it
completely. My mother was lucky to survive, but ever since, she has
had to deal with debilitating neck and back issues daily, just
because of one driver’s rash actions. It is no surprise that
distracted driving is a forefront cause of fatalities in the United
States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
approximately nine people die each day in the US in vehicle crashes
involving drunk or distracted drivers (CDC). Rash and ill-advised,
these drunk drivers simply do not realize the severity of their
actions and the ramifications that their mistakes can have on someone
else’s life. It is not enough to drive solely for one’s own sake;
one must consider the plethora of possibilities that could occur when
taking to the roads, even in the (seemingly) safest of conditions. My
mother followed the road rules to the letter, obeying every
regulation and driving to the fullest extent, yet she still fell
victim because of one driver’s rash actions. Before you dismiss
these ideas as simply one person’s narrative, consider this. For
the 3,450 people killed in accidents in 2015, or for the 391,000
people injured in a car crash in 2015, or for the 2,443,000 people
involved in a motor accident in 2015, drive safely (CDC). Even this
year, four Brazilian brothers were left orphaned after a car crash
that killed both of their parents. (News.com.au) These children will
grow up without parents, without the people that would’ve guided
them through life and taught them everything they needed to know
about the world, and all because of a car accident. It should not
cost a life to drive; your driving mistakes should not cause someone
to lose their life. Drive safely not only for yourself, but for all
of the people that could be affected if you do not. Educate
yourselves on the laws, yield to other drivers on the roads, watch
out for potential dangers, and most importantly of all, drive
responsibly— it is your responsibility.

Works
Cited

Distracted
Driving.” Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention,
Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention,
16 Sept. 2019,
www.cdc.gov/motorvehiclesafety/distracted_driving/index.html.