Driving to Reduce Death

How can one drive to reduce death? That is the ongoing question that is being asked on the daily. “In America, an average of 34,000 people die each year as a result of driving (DMVEDU.org, 2023).” So, how can death be prevented as much as possible? There are many ways that this can be done, but there are a few that will reduce the chances of death more than the rest. One must understand the impact of unsafe driving, take the necessary steps to reduce it, and evaluate the safety of their own driving.

In order to reduce the chances of death from driving, one must first be educated on the sigificant impact of driving unsafely. Driving education opportunities, such as drivers ed and practice courses play an important role in the reduction of deaths from driving. These opportunities provide time to teach drivers, especially newer ones, to drive safely and according to the law. Without using these programs, one may not fully perceive the right way to drive and the impact of driving incorrectly. These programs are significant because they help teach drivers and train them so that they can drive safely and in a way that helps to avoid the death of others and oneself.

If one takes part in the programs provided to teach drivers how to drive safely on the road, they will learn many steps that can be taken in order to reduce the number of driving-related deaths. The main one step that can be taken is avoiding texting while driving. When a driver’s hands are on another object that is not the wheel and their eyes are not on the road, this can be a major cause that leads to death and injuries from driving. NHTSA states, “In 2020, 3,142 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes involing distracted drivers (nhtsa.gov, 2022).” This number shows how a distracted driver is a very common cause of crashes. If a driver is not paying attention, they can easily drive off of the road or into another lane and hit another vehicle within seconds. Again, this is a very common cause of crashes and deaths. Another step that can be taken is following the law. If one follows the law when driving, there is a much better guarantee that the chances of death will be reduced, because specific laws were put in place by the government in order to ensure safer driving. One last step that can be taken to minimize the chances of death as a result of driving is not drinking alcholic beverages before or while driving. If there is a drunk driver on the road, the driver is not able to think consciously. Therefore, they may swerve in and out of lanes or act unusually. The CDC writes, “In 2020, 11,654 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes involving alcohol-impaired drivers, accounting for 30% of all traffic-related deaths in the United States. This was a 14.3% increase compared to the number of crash deaths involving alcohol-impaired drivers in 2019 (cdc.gov, 2022).” Similar to the effects of distracted driving, drunk driving is another main cause of injuries and deaths from driving, as the numbers and information collected show. To prevent deats to one’s utmost ability, they should avoid texting while driving, avoid driving under the impact of heavy drinking, and follow the law.

I personally have never experienced being in a car accident, which I am very thankful for, and I hope to never experience. I have never seen my family members or friends driving irresponsibly, either. Rather, I have seen them driving even more carefully because of others being in the car with them. Despite these things, I have seen many wrecks and have been affected by them emotionally. Seeing the results of crashes and other accidents on the road tends to frighten me, but reminds me to drive safely, while being cautious of others on the road, as well as myself, in order to avoid accidents to my utmost ability. As a newer driver, I have learned what to do and what not to do in order to protect myself and others while on the road. I have made mistakes and learned from them and I have learned to keep my eyes on the road and my surroundings, as well as to follow the law, even if others on the road are not, in order to ensure my safety and others in the vehicle with me. Personally, having a driver’s permit gives me a year to learn, make mistakes, and then learn again, so that I can be prepared to drive on my own in only a few short months. It has also given me the opportunity to watch how others drive when I am not, so that I can take notes and make changes to my driving where needed, in order to ensure my safety, as well as others.

In conclusion, when driving, one must educate themselves and take steps to safety, so as to reduce the chances of injuring themselves or others in the car or on the road around them. By doing these things, we can ensure that the chances of death will decrease significantly over time if the techniques are enforced correctly.

Credits

“Drivers Ed Online – Traffic School Online – Dmvedu.org.” Drivers Ed & Traffic School – DmvEdu.org, www.dmvedu.org. Accessed 19 Feb. 2023.

‌Currin, Andrew. “Distracted Driving.” National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 5 Nov. 2020, www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/distracted-driving.

“Impaired Driving: Get the Facts | Motor Vehicle Safety | CDC Injury Center.” Www.cdc.gov, 6 Nov. 2020,www.cdc.gov/transportationsafety/impaired_driving/impaired-drv_factsheet.html.

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