Reckless Driving Creates Mayhem
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October 14, 2009 • Cara Connor
Filed under Opinion
As the school year begins students on campus will once again witness the collection of reckless drivers that one may see swerving through the lanes in an exasperated effort to reach and depart the school.
No matter how much a young driver may try to debate it, he or she usually tends to be irresponsible and inexperienced on the road. So far this year, many accidents have occurred around the campus area.
If one was leisurely commuting from their house to work one morning, and happened to cross paths with Camino de Los Coches,(Notice how the word “coche” is the spanish equivalent of cars; possibly a relationship to the excessive amount of cars that barrel through the street?) they would see drivers “flooring it” in an attempt to get through the green light and through the congested traffic. They would see vehicles jutting in and cutting off the drivers behind them. They would hear the music of different sounding horns reverberating throughout the canyon, or they could possibly witness an accident.
Unfortunately, it is not hard for me to defend the common title given to teens when it comes to drivers. I would not consider myself experienced on the road. In the past week I have come close to getting in accidents twice, and here is when the commonly-used cliche comes in: “the third time is the charm”.
About a week ago, I was driving home from my friend’s house who lives deep in Rancho Santa Fe. In ease, I was coasting through the windy curves at the speed limit or lower. Around the sharp curves, there are usually special speed limits so that there is minimal chance of veering off the road. Since I am a novice to the windy roads of Rancho Santa Fe, I drove as safely as possible. Suddenly, a silver beamer comes barreling around the same curve I was executing, and cuts into my lane. In angst, I slam on the brakes and swerve into the dirt. The driver of the beamer didn’t even stop.
Another incident happened just a few days later, as I was driving to school going east on Rancho Santa Fe Road. Instead of turning right on Camino de Los Coches, it is also possible to turn right into the Henry’s parking lot to get ahead of the mainstream traffic. I decided to take the shortcut, when immediately I heard a screech of tires from behind me. Two cars–a Honda Civic and Toyota Camry were racing each other and jockeying through the traffic.They both turned into the Henry’s parking lot, and both cars went on either side of me. I am guessing that there was only a few inches of space in between me and the two cars. There was a huge chance that one of them could have hit me–if not both.
Again, only a few days later, I was driving on Rancho Santa Fe Road, heading towards the intersection of Rancho Santa Fe Road and Calle Barcelona. I was about 50 yards away from the light when it flickered yellow. Going at about a 50 mph pase, I had to brake, more abruptly than usually. Just as the light turned red, and I was no longer in motion, my head felt as if it whipped off my neck, and my car jutted forward; the brakes clicking from underneath my feet.
Looking into my rear view mirror, I see the hands of a shocked student clasp her face. We both pulled over to the side of the road, and it turns out that I had a small dent on the right side of my bumper.
After exchanging insurance information, I realized that her rear-ending me, wasn’t entirely her fault. I could have braked more smoothly to give her a warning. However, the driver should have been paying more attention to my actions.
After this experience, I have intentions of driving more safely. There have been so many accidents in the San Diego area in the past month. Although I received a rude awakening on October 5, I’m very fortunate that I wasn’t injured or the other student who rear ended me wasn’t injured. I’m even more lucky that my wake up call wasn’t a fatal one, like one that occurred recently involving the Torrey Pines students.
Even though most of the students driving to school every morning are still speeding, swerving, and cutting people off, I have learned to drive in a more relaxed manner. What’s the difference between getting to school three minutes later than I used to? Those accumulating minutes are more valuable than totaling my car or getting myself into a fatal accident.
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