Name: Tapiwa Mzumara
From: Indianapolis, IN
Votes: 0
Driving Is More Than a Routine
Leaving our homes and hopping in the car on our daily commutes can
many times be taken for granted as a mundane part of our routines,
but there are dangers we face every time we are on the road. As data
shows, there’s more vehicular deaths than war causalities. That is
a shocking truth about the risks of getting behind the wheel.
Driver safety is a definite preventative solution to many of the
fatal and unfortunate car accidents we see today. Information about
impaired driving can empower drivers to want to protect not only
themselves, but others on the road. I lost an old classmate early
this year due to a drunk driver that was speeding their way through
an intersection. It hurts not just because my classmate was young and
had so many friends and family who lost him, but also because this
death was preventable. Many young drivers believe that they are
invincible until they are faced with the reality of their impaired
driving. It takes one second of poor judgement to ruin the life of
someone else.
Another form of impaired driving is the use of a cell phone or tablet
behind the wheel. Many people believe that they are more than able to
multitask, but truthfully, this put many in great danger than drunk
driving. I have seen a few of my friends texting and driving and I
immediately tell them to put it away and wait until we are parked to
text. I was almost T-boned at an intersection because a young lady
was on her cell phone and passed the stop sign. Thankfully we were
able to swerve out of harm’s way, but I think back to how much that
moment could’ve ended differently. I choose not to text and drive
after seeing a PSA about a young lady who was in the car with her
friend that texted and drove. She hit a family of four with a baby in
the back seat. That entire family was unresponsive after the crash.
The worst situation I was made aware of, was a young mom who hit and
killed three children after failing to stop after a bus put its stop
sign out, to drop off those children. This was such a tough situation
on both sides. A mother lost her three kids and another set of kids
lost their mom. There are many steps that can be taken to prevent the
accidents I mentioned. Drivers ed programs should become
mandatory and more accessible to new drivers. I don’t think
cramming information from a driver’s manual and taking the written
test, is enough to ensure a driver is taking all the precautions for
safe driving. In low income homes, many families cannot afford to
send their kids to Drivers ed. The resources and videos
offered in Drivers ed, equip each diver with the knowledge
to handle many situations as a confident driver that those who miss
out, will not attain.
The steps I take to be a safer driver, is to remain aware and be an
aggressive driver. I don’t put myself in situations that would
impair my driving. I always correct my friends and family members if
they start speeding, decide to text or any other bad driving habits.
I am a very aware passenger, like I would be if I was behind the
wheel. I have on many occasions, saved a friend from passing a red
light because I was aware of what was happening, even as a passenger.
Though these habits might seem extreme to young drivers especially,
but I’m always thankful that I am creating a safe driving
experience for others. Now that I lost a vibrant and inspiring
classmate to a fatal car accident, it makes me even more passionate
about driver safety. It’s not a random problem other people may
experience. It could’ve been me; it could’ve been you. Driver’s
Safety should be personal.
