Name: Casey Yi Chan Mills
From: Tuttle, Oklahoma
Votes: 0
In my home state, anyone under the age of eighteen is required to
take and pass a drivers ed course before obtaining a
license. Thus, when it came time for me to drive, that is what I did.
However, I was not too thrilled. Throughout my childhood, there were
numerous complaints about how boring, stupid, and a waste of time and
money it was. Thus, that is what I was expecting. However, I soon
came to a different conclusion, realizing the importance of it.
In the United States
alone, 34,000 people die each year on average, as a result of
driving. For comparison, in the War in Afghanistan, less than a total
of 2,000 American soldiers have died. Driving deaths highly exceed
that number, and it is because of texting, drunk driving, eating,
taking your eyes off of the road, or mental exhaustion. Driver’s
education reveals these statistics and distractions, giving us 34,000
reasons why it is important.
Although some
crashes are unpreventable, most are, with two simple steps. First,
remove all physical distractions, whether it is a phone, food, or a
disruptive passenger. Nothing is more deserving of your attention
than driving. When operating a vehicle, you must have complete focus,
always driving defensively. Second, before getting behind the wheel,
examine your mental capacity. Are you suffering from fatigue, did you
ingest alcohol, or are you stressed and not thinking clearly? If you
answer yes to any of these, set the keys down and do not drive.
Whether you switch places with a responsible passenger, call an Uber,
or stay at home, there are always options. Do not risk killing
someone.
The first and only
car accident that I have been in was a result of mental fatigue. It
happened when I was younger, and I was doing errands with my mom and
siblings. We had just finished and were on our way home when we came
to a red light. As my mom watched for a break in the cross-traffic so
she could make a right turn, she slowly edged her way forward. As she
did this, we suddenly felt a hit from behind. It turned out to be a
young, stressed, mentally drained Target employee who had just gotten
off work. He assumed we were turning at that moment and therefore
continued forward, when instead, my mom was only edging, preparing to
advance. Although thankfully, there were no injuries or damage, that
is not always the case.
There is an
important decision to make everyone time you sit behind the wheel.
Furthermore, it is also important to decide whether or not you should
become a passenger, depending on the driver’s condition. You must
encourage others to drive safely, even if that means refusing to
enter the car or taking the keys away. Remember, your decisions do
not only affect you. They affect everyone else around you. There are
34,000 reasons why you should drive with caution.
