Name: Michael Frakes
From: Phoenix, Arizona
Votes: 0
The
Effects of Defensive Driving
Throughout
all of my life, my family has always been there for me. With
tremendous love and support, I thought life would never end. In
middle school, I had no negative thoughts about consequences with my
family. Death was never in my mind. I swam every day, working out,
doing homework, and hanging out with my friends and family distracted
my mind from those thoughts.
One
night I went to dinner with my parents to Joyride for a couple of
tacos. I got my usual three shrimp tacos with a coke. On the drive
back, I was excited to get home and play video games. As we pull into
our driveway, two highway patrol police cars pull up to our house. I
was nervous, but I was too young to understand why they were here. I
overhear my parents talking to them, “Are you, Tim Frakes?” My
dad replied yes. I thought he was in trouble at first. The officer
said, “Your parents were killed in a car accident”. I got a
feeling that I’ve never felt before, grief. I sat outside for hours
crying and thinking about why bad things happen to good people.
My
Grandparents were driving to the mountains in Pinetop for a family
vacation for a month. During their drive, we think my Grandpa had a
heart attack and swerved head-on into a box truck. Both of my
Grandparents died instantly. Driving to Pinetop is very curvy and
dangerous. Anything can happen on that drive, and everyone must be
very careful. After hearing their report from the police on what
happened, my family and I all took a step back to correct how we were
driving. Being a defensive driver is key while on the roads because
you can’t be in control of how others drive.
Moving
forward in my life, I always paid attention to the roads. When I got
my license in my sophomore year, I was reminded of the possibility
that anything can happen. I told myself to always be aware of my
surroundings and to always be cautious of the people around me. In
Arizona, three people die and 152 people are injured every day
according to the
Department of Transportation’s annual report on motor-vehicle
crashes. Ever since my first day on the road, I have always thought
safety first and always have an escape route. Driving can be very
dangerous if you are not careful. Accidents happen and the most
essential thing to do as a driver is to drive defensively.
