OPINION: You’re Not the Only One on the Road

Driving is dangerous enough as it is, but when a reckless driver is behind the wheel, being on the road becomes even more dangerous.
Car accidents have always been very common, and oftentimes it’s because someone isn’t thinking properly before getting behind the wheel.

“I’ve been in three accidents,” junior Max Cassidy said. “Most recently, I was in a car with a group of friends and we were on our way home from a soccer game. We got rear-ended by a drunk driver and one of my friends ended up going through the windshield. She went to the hospital but she never made it out.”

Passive aggressive and impatient drivers also cause issues on the road when other drivers aren’t doing what they want.

“I used to go five to ten miles over the speed limit mainly because I’ve noticed if I go the speed limit, many people will ride my bumper or go around me while being rude,” senior Pressli Dunlap said. “There’s been a few times where I almost got into a wreck just because some people couldn’t be patient enough to wait their turn.”

Recently, social media and peer pressure have become a leading factor into the popularity of breaking the rules on the road.

“I think reckless driving is a social norm among younger people, especially when friends are involved,” senior Parker Applewhite said. “It’s sort of seen as an ego thing.”

There are plenty of things to say to those who drive recklessly, but one statement in particular is enough.

“Slow down,” history teacher Samuel Mackey said. “Location is not going anywhere.”