Name: Courtney Teman
From: Delphos, Ohio
Votes: 0
Finally…
The moment you have been waiting for: your sixteenth birthday! You
press the accelerator to the floor and you are off to pick up your
best friend because you just got your license! On your way there, you
think back to drivers ed class when you thought your instructor was
just rambling about cars and safety. Although your drivers ed
class was much more than that. My instructor taught us how to react
in certain situations, how to change a tire, what all the buttons
where, and most importantly the side effects of unsafe driving.
Educating yourself before getting behind the wheel not only prevents
you from danger, but the other innocent drivers on the road too.
As teenagers, there
is typically only a few things on our mind while driving: where we
are going, what we are going to do, and what song is playing next. In
order to reduce the number of fatal casualties on the road we need to
first, be more focused. Focus on the road, the car in front of you,
and your speed. Secondly, we need to block out distractions. For many
teenagers this distraction is their phone, radio, or the
passenger(s). To remove these distractions place your phone on silent
mode, turn down the radio, and politely ask your passengers to BE
QUIET! Lastly, think about how one wrong move can cost your life or
another persons. These thoughts should motivate you to take these
steps seriously before hopping in the car.
I live in a small
town where everybody knows everyone, and backroads are our way home.
I take the same way home from school everyday. Yes, these roads are
familiar to me, and I know them like the back of my hand. In spite of
this, some people may be less careful because the roads are familiar.
A family friend of mine was in a horrible car accident driving down
backroads, in broad daylight. Sadly enough, he was struck by a drunk
driver. He had four kids and a wife waiting for him back home, but
his return seemed like an eternity. He was hospitalized for months
not expecting to make a full recovery. Many things ran through my
head like, “How will these young kids live without their father?”
and “Why did this man decide to put someone else’s life in
jeopardy?” But, there is always a light at the end of the tunnel.
My family payed a visit months later, and I was happy and relieved to
see their father talking, moving, and most importantly back home to
his family.
No one is a perfect
driver, including myself. Not only can I become a better driver, but
so can you! When we first got into the car don’t forget to click
it! Or get a ticket! After you click it, use your brains not your
neighbors lane! Lastly, in order for us to become better, safer
drivers remember don’t text and drive, and you will arrive alive!
