In The Driver’s Seat

IN THE DRIVER’S SEAT

Yes,
the fact that driving causes an average of 34,000 people to die each
year is a lot to take in. I know I struggled as a new driver just two
years ago. The streets terrified me. The drivers on the freeways all
seemed like they were late to wherever they were headed and for some
reason they didn’t notice me on the road at all. It took me awhile
to build up confidence in my own driving and to learn how to avoid
any dangerous drivers I encountered on the roadways.

There
are laws in places and signs on several streets and freeways, but
people are habitual creatures. Unfortunately, they won’t change
their driving habits until something happens to them or someone they
love. Maybe, to reduce the number of driving related deaths, there
can be a law instituted which restricts texting and driving in areas
where most accidents occur. The school zones implanted those no
texting fines, but we need to have them placed in more areas. We also
need to have cities budget for more red-light cameras. If people knew
they would be captured and fined when they ran a light or changed
lines inappropriately, they would do it less. Making more people
accountable while driving would be a good start to reducing deaths on
the road.

I
was in an accident where my car was totaled due to another driver
acting irresponsibly. While at a red light, a driver in a truck
crashed into the back of my car. By the grace of God, I was not
pushed too much into the intersection and was not physically hurt.
The back seats were crushed right into the front seats and stopped
while only moving me a small amount. With so many emotions flying
everywhere it was a wonder I imagined calling my parents to come
check me out and the cops to come check out the scene. The other
driver’s insurance covered everything, but the fact that he was
driving carelessly will always cause me to watch my rear-view mirror
while sitting at red lights.

I
travel from college to home a lot and have invested in a mounted car
holder. This allows me not to be tempted to text or call while
driving. I can use the phone for directions and always use voice
control if I do need to talk to anyone while in route. This allows me
to be a better and safer driver. I constantly bug my friends if I am
ever riding with them to put their phones down while we are driving
because it is not safe and they’re risking my life, theirs, and
others on the road. I often grab their phones and will hold them
until we get to our destination just to be safe. If they receive any
texts or phone calls I’ll answer it for them. I need to make sure
we all make it safely to where we are going.