Dangerous driving habits equal disaster

By: Janese Watson

Some people think it’s okay to drive illegally, but why? What is the point in risking your life? People are guilty of dangerous driving in different ways. From small ways to big ways, though, dangerous driving rarely ends well.

Texting and driving, or distracted driving, is one major driving no-no. Statistics show that 48% of people involved in car wrecks admitted to texting/talking on their mobile device while driving. Did you know that talking on a cell phone while driving can make a young driver’s reaction time as slow as a seventy year old person?  “I never break the rules and I never text and drive,” says senior Tenecia Clemmons. Although texting and driving has a huge impact on accidents today, that is not the only thing causing accidents.

Speeding comes next. This type of reckless driving happens often, unfortunately. “I’ve been driving for a while, so I know what I’m doing,” says senior Ray Killian. Ray doesn’t think alone on this. Most teenagers think that since they have been driving for years, they can do what they want on the streets. These are reasons why accidents happen easily and speeding or other reckless types of driving don’t help.

Another huge killer of not only drivers, but passengers and innocent bystanders, is drunk driving. Drunk driving is, and will always be, an obvious wrong answer. The rate of drunk driving is highest among twenty to twenty five olds (23.4 percent). “It is more common for males to drive drunk than females,” says an article by Mothers Against Drunk Driving, or MADD. No one should ever be behind the wheel of a car while intoxicated. Every day in America, another twenty eight people die as a result of drunken driving crashes.

Some people will read this and think to them self, “I already know,” but do you already know? Do you follow all the rules of being a licensed driver? Have you ever done any of these things? It’s never too late to change or curb a behavior. When you drive, follow the speed limit and listen to the rules, because they were made for a reason: to keep us safe. Getting into a car accident can lead to several unwanted consequences, including injuries, loss of earnings, etc. Avoid getting into a car accident and do everything you know you’re supposed to do. Being a safe driver can save a life.