Stop Accidents Before They Stop You

Stop Accidents Before They Stop You

Being behind the wheel of a motor vehicle holds more weight of responsibility than most people realize. Many young adults view driving as a rite of passage once they pass the drivers ed course and actually get to operate an automobile on their own. Drivers ed is extremely important in reducing the number of deaths that occur as a result of driving. The scary thing is that once a teen has been driving for a while, the dangers associated with automobiles is somewhat forgotten and comfortability sets in. It is good to be comfortable, but when comfortability puts the driver or others at risk, there has to be a remembrance and realization of that which was learned in drivers ed.

The leading cause of death for teenagers is that of motor vehicle wrecks. Operating a vehicle is oftentimes very intimidating for teenagers. Completing a drivers ed course before obtaining one’s license helps teens learn about and develop skills that will prepare them for the road. From my own experience in drivers ed, students are taught how to safely operate a vehicle at night, on busy interstates, and during dangerous driving circumstances. I learned about various traffic signals and markings on the roadway, and I had no idea what they meant before taking the course. Students also learn how to communicate with others using signals, how to change lanes, how to adjust the speed of the vehicle, and how to enter and exit traffic safely, which is all accomplished in the driving portion of drivers ed. One of the most important skills developed in drivers ed is the ability to predict hazards and dangerous situations before they occur. These are only some of the lessons taught and skills developed in drivers ed. If everyone took what they learned in drivers ed more seriously, the number of deaths caused by motor vehicle accidents would decrease significantly.

There are practical steps and precautions that can be taken to reduce the number of deaths related to driving. Approximately 1.35 million people die in road crashes each year. The first and most reinforced step to reduce that number is to buckle up. Many people underestimate the importance of buckling up their seatbelt, but being buckled in a crash could save your life and the lives of others. If only one person is unbuckled during a car accident, every other passenger who may be buckled themselves could be more severely injured by the person who chose not to wear a seatbelt. This is possible because that one person is liable to be thrown about within the vehicle, injuring everyone else, that is, if they weren’t ejected from the car upon crashing. Between the years of 2015 to 2019, around fifty percent of those killed in car accidents were not wearing a seatbelt.

Another step that can be taken to reduce the number of deaths related to driving is to never text while driving. This is also highly reinforced, but for a very good reason. Each year, 1.6 million car crashes are caused by cell phone use while driving. It only takes one glance at a phone to possibly cause a lifetime of pain for either yourself or someone else. It is also important to slow down your driving. Twenty-six percent of all traffic fatalities in 2018 had to do with speeding. People tend to become careless about speed limits as they become more experienced drivers, but even the best drivers can crash when going too fast, especially in poor weather conditions. Everyone should obey traffic signs, regardless of background, skill, or experience.

I have never been in a car accident, but I have seen friends and family members driving irresponsibly. I have also made plenty of mistakes myself, but when I do make those mistakes, I remind myself of the basic principles I was taught in drivers ed. Most of the irresponsible choices I see and hear of drivers making are the ones I just mentioned, the main one being texting while driving. Sometimes people my age will almost brag about how fast they were going on the way to school, or pull out of the school parking lot blasting music and not wearing a seatbelt. All of these choices could lead to a fatal accident that none of them saw coming.

Personally, I can become a better and safer driver by making sure my phone is away and out of sight. I even turn my ringer off so that I am not tempted in the slightest to answer it or look at it. Simply talking to someone on the phone is distracting. I can be more cautious with my speed, making sure I am not going over the speed limit. It would be helpful to go back to the book I was given in drivers ed and refresh myself on road safety, or find the same instructions online. I can help others become safer on the road by making sure my passengers and I all have our seatbelts buckled before driving the vehicle. As a passenger, I can offer to send a text for the driver, if need be. The best thing I can do is kindly remind others of the dangers of driving and the great responsibility they have as a driver. When you are the driver, you are not only responsible for your on life, but the people in your vehicle, if any, the people in the vehicles around you, cyclists, and pedestrians. Human life is far too valuable to risk losing just because of someone’s careless decisions. We should all do our best as drivers and passengers to keep ourselves and others safe.