Two years ago, as a freshman in high school, there was a girl in my grade that died from getting hit by a car while she was waiting for the bus in the morning. She was a shy girl who was by herself often, but she went to my middle school as well. I cried that night, because that should not happen to anyone; her family and friends had to cope with losing someone in their life, and I felt guilty for not knowing her as well as other people did. After the story got in the news, I found out that the driver was a junior at my high school as well; because he decided to speed and text and drive, he killed someone who had her whole life ahead of her. Later that same year, someone else in my grade was riding his bike to school, when a truck pushed him to the side, and sent him to the hospital. He was the assistant principal’s son, and his mom posted saying that he had a liver contusion and road rash all on his right side, but he was alive. Both instances happened with people at my high school and, even worse, in my own neighborhood. One died, the other survived with life trauma. Both were caused by impaired driving and taught me how fragile life is and how easily it can be taken away because of someone else’s careless actions.  

 

As I was learning how to drive the next year, I especially paid attention to the online course regarding impaired or distracted driving. But I was disappointed it mainly focused on the effects of drugs on driving and briefly mentioned how texting can also cause accidents. I know now that impaired driving is so much more than being under the influence or texting. It’s a vast scope of anything that makes you less aware of the road, so eating, drinking, being on your phone (not just texting), putting on music, doing your makeup, or feeling drowsy and tired leads to impaired driving. As people first start driving in their late teens, parents are always telling their kids to never be distracted by phones so they can avoid getting into accidents. What about the adults that have been driving for years? As people get older and have more experience on the road, they start to become relaxed because they believe they are “professionals” and can break some foundational rules that young people are learning to always live by. The number of times I have seen my parents texting, calling, or eating while driving in the past year alone is worrying to me. All it takes is one misstep, and now me or anyone else in the car are the ones in the hospital or part of the death toll from motor vehicle accidents.  

 

When people come together to educate drivers of all ages about the effects of impaired driving, it will help spread the word and spark some change in driving habits. Personal stories from loved ones about losing someone in a car accident are especially important because everyone can feel moved by a mom losing her child, or vice versa. Law enforcement officers could come to high schools and discuss safe driving habits and talk to teens about how to prevent car accidents. They could also give firsthand experiences because they drive a lot, and even host more public discussions with people of all ages.  In my generation of upcoming drivers, we can make sure to not overlook what our required online driving courses tell us to avoid while driving and take the necessary steps to implement them into our lives permanently. The courses are there to tell us how to practice safe driving, which means also knowing traffic and road signals. Talking to parents about what to do in emergency situations would also be helpful when teens are alone in the world and have only a split second to avoid catastrophe. During parties, if you’re feeling a little tired or maybe you drank too much, always bring a designated person that promises to stay sober and be a responsible driver. If you know someone who is going to drive but is not in the right mindset, offer to drive them if you feel good enough to. By writing this essay, I have become more aware of the deaths involved with motor accidents and can do my part in society by practicing defensive driving. Everyone has their own story about the road, but we can all relate and work together on the idea that people should arrive alive at their destinations.