Reinforcing the American Dream

Reinforcing
the American Dream

As one of the youngest in my
family, I had the privilege of witnessing the excitement of my older
siblings, cousins, and recent immigrant family members as they
strolled out of the DMV with their new driver’s license in hand. It
is considered a big milestone for my family— a step towards
fulfilling the “American dream”. However, these precious moments,
unfortunately, come at a price for some. Just as I lived through
their excitement, I also am living through some of their pains.

In February of 2018, my cousin
received his license so that he can attend classes at Wayne State.
His love and passion for helping people motivated him to work at a
clinic where he could get experience in the medical field. However,
in December, on his way to work one day, a driver was switching lanes
from the left and collided his car into my cousin’s, leaving my
cousin with severe injuries to his left arm and leg. After the police
completed a full investigation, it was noted that the driver was
distracted by sending text messages and hadn’t even realized his
car was shifting to the left at such a high speed. Because of this
horrific accident, my cousin is now unable to drive again.

Now that I am in the process
of obtaining a driver’s license myself, I can not help but think
back to my cousin’s accident and the thousands that occur daily.
Therefore, in my process, I have immersed myself in the importance
and conversation surrounding drivers ed which I have become
a big advocate for.

According to the research from
Motor Vehicle Safety, “each day in the United States, approximately
9 people are killed and more than 1,000 injured in crashes that are
reported to involve a distracted driver.” That day during December,
my cousin was only among thousands of other victims of distracted
driving. Hence,
a person can and should take steps to practice safe driving to
prevent accidents.

The first is to always be
aware of your surroundings. If I notice a driver recklessly by
switching lanes or going above the posted speed, I immediately
increase my following distance or avoid being near that car. Being
alert to these situations beforehand allows me to have more control.
There was one time where I was driving with my dad and I was making
my way towards an intersection when I noticed a car was about to make
an unprotected right turn even though I had the right-of-the way. I
became aware that this driver was going to make that turn regardless
of knowing that there were oncoming cars, so I slowed down and let
him go. This is another example of always being aware. You never know
the exact motives of the other drivers, so take extra precautions and
be proactive!

Another action you have
control over is to limit your distractions. The accident with my
cousin could have been avoided if the distracted driver avoided
texting while driving. Even if you keep your eyes away from the road
for a second to send a quick message, it can put you and other
drivers in danger. “Any glance away from the road for two seconds
or longer can increase the risk of an accident from four to 24
times,” said Dr. David Hurwitz from Oregon State University. One
way to avoid bring tempted to text is putting your phone on the “do
not disturb” mode. If changing the radio or answering texts and
calls seems to be the problem, have your electronics be
voice-activated, or have someone else in the passenger seat do that
for you. This could be applied to other distractions as well such as
eating, drinking, talking on the phone, smoking, etc.

Lastly, obey all traffic laws.
Although obvious, they are often overlooked. Such examples include
speeding, running a red light, and not utilizing the turn signals. I
can recall a moment on a two-way road, a driver was making a right
turn without his turn signals on and I didn’t notice at first so I
continued going straight, but then I noticed the driver stopped so I
immediately decreased my speed and let the driver go. That driver
took a risk and if I didn’t notice the driving was making a turn,
then there could’ve been a fatal accident. That moment taught me to
always not only use turn signals but also put to follow all traffic
regulations. Traffic laws are executed for a reason: to ensure the
safety of drivers and pedestrians. Don’t gamble lives. Be very
cautious because even if you think no harm will be done, lives could
very well become harmed due to your actions.

Overall, the tiniest change in
your driving habits can make a significant difference and impact
numerous lives, including yours. It’s astonishing how education
around safe driving is so critical, yet many people forget to
practice what is taught during driving school. As I continue to
advocate for those who have lost their lives, those who will continue
to be affected, and those of us who can help alleviate these issues,
I remind us all to take precautions and be proactive every step of
the way while on the road. Let’s not be distracted drivers but
rather defensive drivers. The ones who are always aware of their
surroundings, limit their distractions and obey traffic laws. So
let’s go out there, make safety our priority, and make a
difference!

Citations

“Distracted
Driving.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention, 16 Sept. 2019,
https://www.cdc.gov/motorvehiclesafety/distracted_driving/index.html

“‘Distracted
Driving’ at an All-Time High; New Approaches Needed.” Life at
OSU, Oregon State University, 5 Oct. 2017,
https://today.oregonstate.edu/archives/2015/mar/“distracted-driving”-all-time-high-new-approaches-needed.