Drive safe, Stay alive

“Driving safe,
Stay alive”

S. Alexander
Galik

There is no
better way to avoid dying or being severely injured behind the wheel
of a car then taking driver safety and education seriously. Those
rules, those regulations, those helpful tips are all there for a
reason. It’s easy to scoff and say this would never happen to me or
why should I bother with it? That is until a motor vehicle accident
occurs, and your life is completely changed forever. Checking
mirrors, buckling your seatbelt, not driving drunk or distracted,
these are not just important but necessary.

By focusing
during a drivers ed course, staying up to date with laws
and rules and regulations regarding safe driving we can make large
strides in overcoming deaths related to unsafe driving. Technology is
distracting in our personal relationships but also behind the wheel,
if we can treat each drive as time to separate ourselves from this
technology then perhaps deaths could also be reduced and accident
numbers diminished.

As someone who
has personally experienced a car accident because of my close
friends’ distraction and poor choices, I can say with a heavy heart
that the damage can be mentally, physically and emotionally shocking.
There is a separation from that person afterwards and damage done to
that relationship that is not easily repaired. You trusted them to
have your best interest at heart and that text was more important.
Not to mention many people have that one friend, co-worker or family
member that we fear driving with because of their notoriously
destructive or distracted driving. Would it not be more effective to
speak out to them about the importance of safe driving?

The most
important steps that anyone can take to be a better and safer driver
is having ownership of responsibility as a passenger, if someone is
texting and driving or driving distracted or under the influence. It
is important for you to stand up and say something, rather then
simply letting it happen. Silence is action and the silence of not
wanting to offend your parent or your friend could cost you or others
their life. That personal responsibility extends to you and me as
well, that one text, one moment looking away to grab your phone could
end in catastrophe. So be smart, be safe, and pay attention. Nothing
is more important then a life that could of be saved by just doing
the right thing