Safe Drivers are Knowledgeable Drivers

The importance of safe driving must be addressed in this age where there is so much reliance on motor vehicles, especially for short-distance travel, due to a lack of public transportation and reliable sidewalks. A driver’s responsibility is immensely nerve-racking as one wrong move creates danger for the individual driving and the people in the vicinity. Any individual that must take on the role of a driver must be educated on the risks and the responsibilities that a driver carries to prevent casualties.

I have not yet begun to drive even though I am of age, and anytime I come in contact with peers and family who asked why I’m not yet driving, I often come up with some sort of excuse as an answer, but deep down in my heart there is a fear in me of being behind the wheel. This fear originated from a tragic accident that almost killed my aunt. Her car got totaled by a car that ran a red light and crashed into her car; she was taken to the hospital and was in critical condition for weeks. One thing I’m sure of is that this phobia is not just a problem I have but something that has begun to rise in individuals because of how dangerous our roads are getting. However, there are some ways to prevent tragedies from occurring and eliminate the phobia that prevents many young adults from becoming future drivers.

One method that can help prevent car accidents is for drivers and passengers to embrace the right attitudes and create the right atmosphere that is conducive for safe driving. Inside the car can be likened to a thanksgiving dinner nowadays, as it has become a place where memories are shared, and people have their three-course meals on long trips. Although these things are enjoyable, situations like this distract drivers. Moments of distractions do not necessarily need to be long, and a few seconds can cause ghastly consequences. Randall Siddens was a husband, father, and so much more, who lost his life while doing his job clearing the roadside; he was killed by Regina McCraken, who was driving twenty miles over the speed limit and was too distracted on her phone to see pedestrians while driving. It was just a few seconds on her phone for Regina, but for Randall’s wife and child, this catastrophe would cause them to spend the rest of their lives without someone they love. One thing I have noticed about drivers is that multitasking is a common trait. Actually, operating an auto vehicle requires intense multitasking skills, as one must do many things at once while driving, like checking the side view mirror while changing lanes or looking back while reversing. To be safe drivers, we must do those skills at once, but it becomes dangerous when we add other activities that steal our attention (texting, applying makeup, calling, and eating). According to the CDC, nine people in the U.S. die daily in auto accidents involving a distracted driver. As an individual operating a machine that weighs over 2600 pounds and can move at speeds over 80 miles per hour, all attention must be given, or else unintended consequences are bound to take place.

Drunk driving is another act that an individual behind the wheel should not do. I remember a program that advocated against drunk driving that I attended during summer school; in one of the sessions, we were given “drunk goggles” to wear and asked to go through an obstacle course for a prize. The goggles imitated the sight of a drunk person so we could experience it firsthand, and none of us could finish or reach the half-point of the course; it was so hard to do one of the simplest things just because my vision was impaired, imagine what would happen if an individual drove like that. Driving on its own requires a lot of concentration, so driving while intoxicated is dangerous and very stupid.

Driver’s education is another method that prevents car accidents from happening. It helps a driver to be ready for anything on the road and teaches the driver the rules and regulations that must be followed. There seems to be a stigma against driver’s education; it is perceived as tedious or unnecessary and a waste of time. Such opinions are famous among youths and teenagers, and such opinions are also incorrect and without substance, because driver education saves lives. A community that undergoes proper and efficient driver education will have low mortality rates from auto accidents. Drivers Education is not just about knowing road signs or obeying traffic laws: it offers helpful information. Participants of Drivers ed classes learn the penalties and consequences of committing such offenses as DUI ( Driving Under the Influence), driving without a license, how an individual must act in a hit-and-run situation, and most importantly, Defensive Driving. Defensive Driving is a style of driving that aims to keep both the driver and his environment safe; it is a course that is aimed at protecting the driver in case anything happens or preventing accidents from happening before it happens. It teaches participants the required space to keep between cars, the right speed, to expect the unexpected, and so much more.

A driver without such information under his belt is like a surgeon that didn’t go to medical school; the person will not know what he or she is doing and will probably put people’s lives in danger.