The following excerpt is from Sarah Graham, our 2024 Behind The Wheel Scholarship winner. Thank you to Sarah for sharing this inspiring story.
One thing I hold dear to me is my knowledge and passion for safe driving. As teenagers, many people believe we are reckless drivers who text and drink while driving because of the rebellious personalities that teens tend to portray. While it is not always teens that show reckless behavior on the road, I believe there is a mild stereotype of less wise beings like us teenagers and how we drive because we are amateurs promise that I would never jeopardize my life or another life once I got my license at sixteen years old. With that, I understand how the slightest mistake of being distracted while driving can instantly change lives. It has happened to my family and those around me in my community. That is why, no matter the peer pressure from those around me, I will never give in behind the wheel and pursue texting or being under the influence, which will surely risk the lives of others.
Growing up around alcoholism, I developed strong emotions about what that meant to me, especially when it was at the hands of another’s life. It is embedded into my brain what is right and wrong, and after being exposed to such things, it would never cross my mind to make that bad decision while driving. Car accidents are one of the leading causes of death, some accidental, some caused by reckless behavior that could have been prevented.
Additionally, I want to acknowledge that safe driving prevents accidents and injuries, saves lives, provides an environmental impact on society, and allows for positive role modeling in terms of providing a safe environment where citizens are comfortable driving. Not all people realize the importance and the impact of these minor contributors that add up to make a big difference in the world. These combining factors will, in turn, show what helps society become a safe and comfortable environment. It is always an underlying fear in my life and many others worldwide of the dangers of driving. Always remain alert to yourself and other drivers, for they might not make the right decisions and can be responsible for an accident.
Practicing safe driving precautions provides safety for the general public, not just a select number of people. It also presents itself with economic stability to relieve insurance companies from overbearing cases due to unsafe driving or irrational behaviors. The younger generations who are new to the road need to take accountability and responsibility for their actions. It must be up to them to make the right choice and understand what is dangerous and what is safe, for they might not always understand the extent of the danger. To reemphasize, you never know when the worst will happen. When someone gets that call, the person they hold dear to them has been in an accident and, sometimes, doesn’t make it out alive.
As a teenager, I recognize the importance and stress of safe driving, for people in my family have been in accidents, barely sparing their lives. When something detrimental happens to someone in your life, it becomes a reality of the dangers that being behind the wheel presents itself with. Not everyone will immediately comprehend this, especially those who are just starting. The upcoming sixteen-year-olds, or anyone about to pass this significant milestone in receiving a driver’s license, should be thoroughly educated not only about the rules of the road but also the emotional standpoint regarding driving: the risks and the dangers. That aspect is slightly overlooked or pushed to the side, as crucial as it is.
Being a safe driver means being a role model for your friends, community, and nation. It is critical, as it can partly determine who is safe and who is not, and to empathize with those who are victims of car accidents to understand the reality of reckless driving. Close relatives are surrounding my family, who have been penalized for driving under the influence and causing an accident due to texting or distractions on the road. It is something that wracks me to my core because I cannot imagine if my family or the people in the other vehicles were to be injured, or even worse than that. That is why I feel strongly about driving the speed limit, wearing seatbelts, not texting and driving, and, most importantly, not driving under the influence. It is also something I will always inform others around me.
To educate my peers and loved ones to ensure their safety and that of others driving on the road, I take pride in how important it lies in my heart. I know I will never be responsible for an accident I could have prevented based on my behaviors and decisions. Never think that accidents don’t happen because they do, and they will happen. It is an everyday occurrence, but going the extra mile to ensure the rules are followed is not challenging. As technology progresses and the world evolves, companies and organizations have created tools to better the driving experience that allows you to do more things without disrupting your travels. These include built-in GPS in cars, enabling you to continue looking straight ahead and have directions visible.
Additionally, some models of cars have a Carplay feature, which allows you to use voice recognition technologies such as Siri or Google to send messages and ask demands without having to look away from the road. While these are helpful resources, not everyone is available to them, and others will have to take extra measures to ensure car safety. Overall, practice and experience are the proper way to get comfortable over time with driving. As you continue to grow and learn the maneuvers of your car and your community, you are exposed to the traffic patterns, helping ensure knowledge of potential danger zones.
Furthermore, educating yourself about solutions to different scenarios is also beneficial in creating a safe environment to drive in. Being aware is one of the most essential qualities to have in life. All in all, utilizing the resources available to you and having knowledge of safe driving can make all the difference between having accidents and having a safe community. My mother always says, “Buckle up and watch for deer!”.
