What
Are You Willing To Trade Your Life For?

By:
Shayla Ford

What
is your life worth? Is it worth a quick skim down your Twitter feed?
Is it worth that everlasting text you receive from your significant
other after an argument that you just have
to respond to? Or is it worth those 5 shots of liquor that you had at
the bar that somehow aren’t able to deter your mind from thinking
that you are “sober enough to drive”? These are things that we
need to think about before we get behind the wheel and not only
should we think about ourselves, but the people around us that will
be affected by these decisions. The safety of everyone is in our
hands as soon as we put our vehicles in motion and all it takes is
one wrong move for one’s life to be changed in a matter of seconds.

I
remember this day like it was yesterday. It was a chilly, Fall night
in my hometown Columbus, Ohio. Some friends and I decided to go
downtown for a walk and when the wind increased, we decided to sit in
the car for a moment until it calmed down. We were parked in a
residential area and had only been sitting for about 5 minutes when a
car smacked into the back of us. Fortunately, none of us were
injured, however, my friends car was totaled. We later found out that
the cause of the accident was a drunk driver who had just hit another
car and was attempting to flee the scene. This is an example of how
fast things can escalate when driving drunk or distracted. In this
day and age, where Uber and Lyft are prevalent, there should be no
excuse as to why incidents like these are taking place. If you plan
to go out with friends and drink, assign a designated driver who will
be completely sober to drive when it is time to leave. Even if you
plan on drinking by yourself hail a taxi, but do not put the life of
others and yourself in danger.

Phone
use while driving is just as bad as drunk driving. In today’s
society, we are so swormed with technology that it may be difficult
for us to put our devices down. This is the main cause of car
accidents and so many lives have been taken by phone use involving
both drivers and pedestrians.They even make cars to the point where
you are unable to start them if you are on your device. When driving,
our main focus should be on the road and our surroundings. My father
used to say, “Sometimes it’s not your driving that you have to be
cautious of; it’s other’s”. This is true because you have to be
able to have a good reaction time when someone around you makes a
wrong move while driving. If you are busy checking your device, that
reaction time increases which is a risk that you shouldn’t be
willing to take.

Everyone
should take Drivers Ed because it is paramount in assuring that
you have enough information to stay safe on the road. If we all know
the rules and regulations, as well as the safety precautions to be
taken while driving, the number of deaths will decrease dramatically.
We all should practice safe driving. Think about your loved ones and
how you wouldn’t want them to be put in danger by a distracted
driver the next time you use your device while behind the wheel.
Express to your friends the importance of safe and sober driving.In
the end, our lives are worth way more than a mere distraction or a
night of fun.