Driving For the Sake of Others

Driving has become a highly valuable and common skill in the globalized and fast-paced world that we live in. Although strides have been taken in increasing the accident resistance and general safety of drivers, passengers, and pedestrians, all automobiles have an undeniable and unavoidable risk factor that stems from objective truths about them. These heavy and fast machines which are operated by relatively unqualified people have taken great tolls on people’s lives because of the serious injuries, lawsuits, and deaths that accidents cause. The prevention of vehicular accidents relies on a collective effort from all people who drive to prioritize driver education, learn from previous experiences, and encourage a respectful driving culture.

Although people are required to undergo several hours of driver’s education in order to drive legally, most people’s driver’s education tends to be incomplete or neglected. The temptation to simply click through crucial information or ignore learning materials has increased due to the movement to online driver’s education, and a lack of engagement during the educational phase of driving has proven to carry itself to the road. This is not to say that older generations are not at fault, however: it is uncommon for people who already have their licenses to review road laws. In any case, the fundamental lack of a proper education is a significant reason behind general errors and severe accidents. In my community, a roundabout was recently implemented to help alleviate the traffic on a busy intersection. While the roundabout has achieved its purpose, an alarming amount of driving errors have taken place around the roundabout. It is common to see someone traveling in the wrong direction, failing to indicate their turn, or failing to understand who has the right of way. While it is a distant memory for most people, there are specific lessons about navigating roundabouts involved in driver’s education. Even though roundabouts are rare, people do not have an excuse when it comes to driving through them because their license should be indicative of the fact that they are aware of how to effectively approach any driving situation. Driver’s education needs to be reasserted into the process of driving, with stricter regiments and criteria for passing being implemented. Licenses should only be distributed to those who are truly qualified to drive, and a proper driver’s education is fundamental to success on the road.

Along with the initial education that every driver receives, the experience of driving provides drivers with a practical use for all of the information that they have learned. As with any skill, proficiency develops with practice when it comes to driving. So while it may be too late for some drivers to revisit driver’s education, previous experience can inform future decisions and improve the skill of a driver as well. A few years before I started driving, I was in a minor accident where two cars collided because of a sharp turn in the road. Each driver took more of the middle space than they should have, and the accident resulted in some minor damages. I am thankful to have never been in a severe accident, but even this minor one has informed my decisions while driving, especially on that road in particular. Each time I drive through that turn, I consider the accident and ensure that the other car has plenty of space to make the difficult turn. When I encounter sharp turns, I exercise an extra bit of caution that I may have lacked without the accident. Of course, it is not necessary for everyone to go through a series of accidents before becoming more cautious; people often rely on the stories of others. Everybody benefits from an individual’s effort to improve their driving skills.

Consider the road as a social environment: people are constantly interacting with each other and a culture is eventually developed based on how these interactions tend to go. Unfortunately, the road tends to be a negative social environment because people often use these interactions as an outlet for their stress or anger. People may be unnecessarily selfish or impatient on the road, and this attitude is often intimidating for inexperienced drivers. People should consider how they can make other people feel safe and respected on the road in order to counteract this negative culture. One may choose to be courteous to others by allowing another driver to exit a parking lot before them. Individuals should try to accommodate other drivers when appropriate. There are multiple situations where it is more safe to put oneself first, but simple, appropriate gestures go a long way in improving the culture of the roadway. As people have more positive experiences in a social environment, they are less likely to act recklessly as a result of a petty incident. With as much time as we spend on the road, it is only logical that we should strive to enjoy every trip we make; not everyone is lucky enough to be able to drive.

While there are some social systems that do not rely heavily on the actions of individuals, roadways are filled by people who do not have the sole responsibility of driving. The average person on the road drives with the intention of coming to a stop and living their life. That individual must hold themself accountable while they are sitting in the driver’s seat to ensure that the people around them get the chance to live their lives as well.