Many students are back at school and already in the swing of new classes for the semester. If that’s you, good luck with your classes and I hope you get settled into the routine. If not, well, I hope you’re enjoying your extended summer break! I’m still getting adjusted to the “wake up early” mindset and trying to scrounge up food on a low budget – this might be hard!

Being back at school gives me a slightly different perspective on driving than I have during the summer time. At a large public university there tends to be a lot of people on the streets and sidewalks walking to and from class. It gets pretty crowded; but throw in a lot of vehicles trying to maneuver through the crowds and things are sure to get hectic.

One of my pet peeves is selfishness, especially while on the road. It’s not a good place to be self-absorbed. A good driver should constantly be aware of his or her surroundings and be able to react to it. Just the other day, I nearly witnessed a terrible accident; a driver who happened to be going a little too fast wasn’t paying attention to a cyclist and had to swerve to avoid him and nearly collided with another car. The driver was probably a bit shaken, but just imagine how the bike rider must have felt!

There are always other people on the road, but not always in cars; there are pedestrians and cyclists out there, too. A lot of unexpected things can occur when driving, so it’s vital to remain alert and aware whether you’re driving in your hometown, on a college campus or in an unfamiliar city. Share the road, everybody!