A Safer World

Every day in the US, people get into an average of 16,438 car accidents, or (insert number here) per year. And to make matters worse, the amount of fatalities from car crashes has only increased in the past few years. But despite this information, the situation is far from hopeless. There are many steps that can be taken to reduce the number of fatal car crashes, such as being fully alert when driving and providing proper driving education to new drivers.

One of the best ways to ensure people are safely driving is through thorough drivers education. This way, when teens first get their driver’s licenses, they’ll not only know how to drive a car but also how to be mindful of their surroundings and be more cautious drivers in general. In fact, drivers who don’t complete drivers Ed are 25% more likely to get into a crash where somebody’s killed or injured. Additionally, they were 75% more likely to get a speeding ticket and more likely to get in trouble for other traffic violations, including DUI infractions. Basically, people who take driver’s Ed when they first start learning how to drive end up being safer and better drivers for it. With all the benefits, driver’s education is a great way to reduce fatal accidents.

As great as drivers education is, it’s far from the only way to reduce car crashes. Making sure you’re sober when you’re driving is a great first step. When you’re drunk, your reaction time, sense of judgement, and inhibitions all go out the window, making the perfect combination for an accident. In fact, 40% of fatal accidents are caused by driving under the influence. That’s why it’s important to always have a way to get home when you plan on drinking more than one drink, whether it’s calling an Uber or going with someone who you trust to not drink. It can be easy to rationalize it by saying you’ve not really drunk or you’re only 5 minutes away from your house, but it’s better to be inconvenienced than to end up killing yourself or someone else. This logic can be applied to other substances as well. Of course, drugs fall into this category (not only are they dangerous, but also way more illegal!), but certain medications can impair your driving as well. Usually there will be a warning on the pill bottle if it’s going to impair you. If you do this, you’ve already greatly reduced the likelihood of getting into an accident.

Another thing that can decrease your chances of a crash is making sure you’re not falling asleep at the wheel. Unfortunately, I’ve seen the consequences firsthand. When I was moved to Georgia, we had to drive all the way across the country. We had been on the road for a few days, and we were all getting tired, especially my dad, who was driving. As night fell, dad wasn’t paying as much attention to road as he would have if he were wide awake, and rear ended a car right on the highway! Luckily, nobody was seriously hurt. It nearly gave us a heart attack though, especially the other car, which had 2 small children and a third on the way! Had we stopped at hotel, we would have been fine, but it certainly scared me off from driving tired.

There are many steps I can take to be a safer driver. The biggest thing I could do would be very attentive to my surroundings at all times. This means watching out for other cars, road signs, and other road conditions. Another thing I could do is avoid texting or calling people when driving. Anything that could take my attention away from the road could end with me in an accident. Since I’m still learning to drive, I could also take a drivers education class while I wait until I can get my driver’s license. Something I could do to help other people be safer on the road is making sure not to distract them while driving. I could still talk to them, but I’ll make sure not to do anything that could take their eyes off the road. And once I’m 21, I could be the designated driver if they get drunk. Lastly, I could wear my seatbelt and encourage my friends to wear theirs if they’re not wearing it. Overall, when it comes to driving, there’s many things you can do to drive safer. Whether it’s taking a drivers education course or taking a nap on a long road trip if you get tired, there’s no shortage of precautions you can take to reduce your chances of getting in an accident.