Up to Speed

The rules of the road. There are a lot of them. When to turn the turn signal on, who has the right-of-way, or if you can pass a school bus, just to name a few. Most of these rules are simple and encountered everyday on the road. But what about the unusual situations? Like hearing the siren of an ambulance behind you when you have no room to get out of its way. Or even the casual rules that people break without knowing they exist like parking without a turn signal. Driving is complex, requires knowledge and focus, and for the safety of all: drivers should be up to speed on all rules and possible situations they may encounter.

The main way that drivers education is significant in reducing the number of driving-related deaths is composure. When drivers get into a situation that they may not know how to handle, the more knowledgeable driver will stay calm and safely navigate out of the confusion. On the other hand, a driver that does not know what to do or does not trust that they are prepared will panic. This panic will raise their heart rate and put them into a fight-or-flight response. The fight-or-flight response does not assist in making rational decisions, meaning the more panicked a person becomes, the more likely the situation will escalate and become much worse, possibly deadly. Without driver’s education, not only are people less likely to handle dangerous circumstances on the road, they are also more likely to put themselves into this type of situation. People that don’t know how significantly even a small bit of alcohol impairs their reflexes and driving ability are much more likely to drive “buzzed” or drunk, leading to accidents. People that don’t have the knowledge to predict how other drivers will or are supposed to handle certain incidents, such as yielding or merging, are also more likely to get into a wreck.

Most steps that can be taken to reduce the number of deaths related to driving are personal choices. Many people choose not to use seatbelts, which can significantly reduce the amount of damage caused after an accident, even though it is a law in 49 of the 50 states. There are many laws in place that, if followed, would reduce the severity of car wrecks. These include driving sober, following speed limit signs, and staying off the phone while behind the wheel.

The only accident that I have ever been involved in involved a deer. I was driving to school early one fall morning and I was late for a meeting. I was on the gravel, where I would usually drive no more than 45 miles per hour, but because I was late, I was driving closer to 50. A deer ran out into the road and I slowed down, but the deer ran off into the ditch when it saw me. Unfortunately, the deer decided it would rather be in the other ditch, so it ran back across the road. I was still going slower, but there was nothing I could do, short of going into the ditch that had a ten foot drop. The center of my car hit the deer and it flew up onto my windshield then to the side of my car. I was okay and other than my cracked windshield and dented hood, my car was also fine. Now, I always drive slowly on the gravel, even if I am late. I think I still would have hit the deer, but I am still better safe than sorry.

The best steps to take to be a better driver and to help others become better drivers is to continue to be focused and aware. Many times, the errors that happen while driving are caused by a distraction. These distractions can include eating, drinking, phone usage, or reaching for something. You can help others be safer on the road by reminding people that you are riding with to also maintain this focus and follow the road rules. Encourage drivers to use seat belts, follow speed limits, stop signs, and yield signs. Also, the safer you are as you drive, the safer others will be that may be watching and imitating you, such as younger siblings, children, or cousins.

Driving is an everyday activity people often do not realize requires active focus. There are many rules of the road that are created in order to keep drivers safe, but some of these rules are disregarded, either by choice or simply because of ignorance. The more educated drivers are, the less likely they are to enter a dangerous situation, and if they do become involved, they are better able to safely navigate out of it. There are steps that can be taken to minimize the damage of a crash, such as staying aware and following all safety laws. All drivers should be “up to speed” about the happenings on roadways.