Driven By Fear

Driven by Fear

Getting
my learner’s permit was something that I had looked forward to my
entire life, and the time had finally come. As soon as I left the DMV
with my learner’s permit in hand, I could hardly wait to get behind
the wheel. However, once I was in the car, my excitement was
immediately replaced with something else. Fear. Fear is all that I
could feel in the moment that I had been anticipating for so long.
Although I had acquired all of the basic knowledge regarding how to
drive a car, I was unexpectedly consumed by the thought that as soon
as I pressed the gas, I could potentially be putting the life of
myself and others at great risk. Drivers ed gave me
confidence in myself to know that I am in control, not the car that I
am driving. This knowledge helped me to understand the importance of
being a calm and confident driver, and I no longer was petrified at
the wheel. Drivers ed is important in preventing
driving-related deaths because it teaches students how to have the
right mindset when faced with possibly dangerous driving incidents.

Many
of the steps that can be taken to reduce the number of deaths related
to driving are dependent on simply being prepared. Preparations for a
safe drive include acquiring a certain amount of knowledge, as well
as being mentally and physically aware. First, take a driver’s
education course so that you can be confident when getting into the
car that you know what to do if a problem occurs. Once you are ready
to drive, make sure that you are completely focused and attentive,
and do not get into the car if there is anything distracting you.
Also, make sure that your car is ready to be driven. Always check
your tires, how much gas you have, and make sure you are not overdue
for an oil change.

Recently,
a friend of mine got into a high impact car accident that changed his
life as well as the lives of the people around him. His car
hydroplaned and collided with a car that was going the opposite way
on the other side of the road. The other driver was killed
immediately, and my friend still has not recovered and likely will
not recover for a long time. Everyone who had ever known this friend
of mine knew for certain that he was a very responsible person and a
very good driver. This experience showed me the extreme repercussions
that can occur from car accidents through a personal lens, giving me
motivation to be a safer driver.

Steps
that I personally could take to become a better and safer driver
include being more aware of my surroundings and not becoming prone to
a routine. I find that ever since I got my license, I have mainly
driven the same five routes back and forth. I rarely drive somewhere
new and always take the same roads to get to where I need to be. At
first this routine was good, as I already had to focus so much on how
to drive and all of the information I needed to remember, it would
have been somewhat of a distraction to have to focus on where I was
supposed to go and how to use a GPS as well. However, now I have
become so accustomed to the routes that I take daily, that I find
that I am often not very focused while I drive. In order to be a
safer driver for myself and everyone else on the road, I need to be
more attentive to the route that I am on, no matter how often I take
it. In order to do this, I might drive a different way to school next
time or make a stop by the grocery store on the way just so that my
mind can be truly focused on being an attentive and cautious driver.