How driving should be rethought

Driving is a skill that can be taken for granted. Most people in this country can easily obtain a license and keep it even though they are hazardous on the road. This needs to stop. Even though I have never been involved in an accident, I have seen other cars on the road take behaviors that endanger themselves and other drivers on the road. This has the possibility to lead to many accidents that could ultimately endanger lives. Shown through the graph on Dmvedu.org, you can see that the fatalities of accidents are taking many lives that could have been saved. This can be stopped multiple different ways.

To start, driver education can be improved to have new drivers understand the importance of not using a cell phone and keeping them from speeding. These are two of the hottest issues of new drivers. Everyday when I pull out of my high school’s parking lot, I see people speeding or on their cellphones. I even almost got hit by a girl looking at her phone going 30 through the parking lot. Teens have the highest rate of texting and driving. This takes their eyes off the road and prevents awareness when driving. Reducing this would allow for new drivers to be safer and actually give them more money as their insurance prices will not go up. Also, speeding is rampant among teenagers. The amount of speeding tickets I have seen given to classmates is unbelievable. The problem is not that they are going a little over; it is that they are going way over. Parents need to be more aware and strict by using things like Life360 to help stop this. This can dramatically reduce the amount of accidents that happen to new drivers. Next, older drivers need to be held responsible for their safety on the road. Many times I see a car getting in the middle of traffic blocking other lanes, it is someone who has had their license much longer than I have. Anyone with a driver’s license should be required to retake the driving test every 10-15 years. This will ensure that these drivers are reminded of the laws, and it will allow for those who no longer have the ability to drive to have their license taken away to protect their safety and the safety of others. All in all, we should take some of these steps to reduce the amount of fatalities on the road.

Lastly, I can be a better driver by making sure not to look at my phone and by being aware of the road. Being a young driver, I know that people sometimes make the assumption that I do not know what I am doing. This is sometimes true because of lack of experience and knowledge; however, I stay at the speed limit and get in the right lane to ensure that others that want to be more reckless can move past me. This will keep them from weaving in and out of traffic which has an even higher probability to cause a wreck. Also, the number one thing that causes car accidents today is distracted driving. This is often from cell phones. This is why I try to keep my cell phone secured on my dash so that I can not reach for it when I am driving. This keeps my eyes on the road and away from social media, texting, or other things that could draw my attention away. Allowing my attention to stay on the road has helped me be aware in many situations where others have run red lights or been reckless. On the other hand, I could also help my friends in the same ways. By not letting them use their phones and not being a distraction while they drive I can help them stay safe and aware while they drive on the road. All together, by not using my cellphone and having awareness in driving situations my friends and I can be a safer and better driver on the road.

In the end, we all can help end the fatalities that unfortunately have originated from driving. Through some of these ideas like putting a cellphone away or getting your license recertified every 10-15 years, we can help save lives that do not have to be lost. I plan to continue my habits to stay a safe driver to keep myself away from danger along with others. This can be a help to others to show them that they do not need to be reckless and can drive safely to still get where they are going.