Not a right but a privilege

We all know about
the signs on the side of the road or on highways that read “Drive
hammered, get nailed” or the infamous “Over the limit, under
arrest”. However number one cause for vehicular accidents is in
fact distracted driving. For far too long we have grown accustomed as
a society to see it as somewhat normal for teens to speed, drink,
smoke, and use their phone while driving. As a result we are
constantly seeing on the news stories of crashes, injuries, and in
some cases even death. As the rate of accidents begins to grow in
recent years, the issue becomes even more apparent.

There are many ways
to educate the population on the dangers of driving. Fro example,
drivers ed is an underrated tactic that could in fact save and
change a person’s life. I myself have not taken a drivers ed class
but my parents did make me read the manual for driving until I
memorized all of the rules from memory. The entire book was drilled
into my brain courtesy of my parents. However, my dad did has taken a
drivers ed class and ever since he has seemed like a new driver. He
recalls a time when at one point in the class they brought in a car
that looked like a gun. They made everyone get in it and made the
point that a car could in fact be turned into a weapon. It is a tool
for transportation but depending on how it’s used, it can be turned
into a tool for murder and harm. This really resonated with him and
could help people realize the power they wield when driving.

There are many
steps all of us can take in order to forge a better place for
drivers. We can all become aware of the reasons that cause accidents.
If we can reduce the amount of accidents, we can also then reduce the
amount of deaths. For example, the government has really cracked down
in recent times on the cases of speeding and drunk driving. However,
out of the ashes of those two causes for accidents, a new evil has
risen: Distractions. In today’s world, distraction are the number one
reason for crashes. Texting, calling, and even music are some of the
principle culprits. It is hard for the government to crack down on
these issues as technology is constantly evolving and it becomes
progressively harder and harder for law agencies to keep up with the
times. This is where we need, the citizens, need to make an honest
effort. We can start by putting our phone down, turning the music
down, and focusing on the road because someone life could always be
on the line when driving.

As my father says
“Driving is not a right, driving is a privilege. Just as it is
given out, the privilege of driving can be taken away”. There is so
much at stake when people turn the engine on head out. It is a real
issue and while the government and other agencies do their best to
keep roads safe, so should we do our part and follow the instructions
given to us. Toas safety should be taken more seriously and at this
point the ball is in our court. It’s up to us now.