Driving Education, Reforms, and Attitudes

Driving Education, Reforms, and Attitudes

At fifteen years of age, many teenagers are shown traumatic car-crash videos and learn all the statistics of highway accidents, but once they get the shiny new car keys and experience the freedom a license, it all goes out of their heads. Driving is the most dangerous activity most Americans do on a daily basis, and many drivers are unaware of the hazards.

Education is the first, crucial key in preventing and reducing driving-related deaths. Though it is often made fun of and is time consuming, driver’s education is critical to increase safety on the road. It is specifically taught to aid new drivers in how to handle more dangerous driving situations, like night, snow, and highway driving while also teaching all the rules of the road. An easy step to reduce the number of driving-related deaths and increase education would be to incorporate simple tests of the driving laws. When one’s license needs to be renewed, every four years, he or she should be required to take a short driving test, similar to the permit test. This would ensure that drivers are aware of all the laws and would be a good review of the nuances.

The most driving-related deaths occur because of distracted driving.¹ In today’s world, there are distractions everywhere: billboards, the radio, GPS, even the passengers in the car, but the number one distraction is the cell phone. Only 20 states have a total cell phone ban while driving.² Even then, many hands-free options are still legal, but they are still causing a lot of unneeded distractions. States should take steps to continue banning cell phones while driving, taking out one of the biggest risk factor for driving deaths. Being able to check your texts on a 20-minute commute is simply not worth it.

I grew up riding with very responsible and conscientious drivers, but there were sometimes instances of taking a “rolling” stop, quickly responding to a message at a stoplight, or driving aggressively, especially on the highway. Especially with teenagers, I know some people who I would not want to ride with, who brag about excessive speeding and illegal driving. After having my license for a year and a half, I have not been ticketed or in any kind of accident. However, there are always things I can improve upon to become a better driver. To make the road safer for both me and others, I want to always be alert: checking blind spots, watching for pedestrians, and being aware of the other cars around. If a driver is in “autopilot,” it is dangerous and is when driving can become reactive. I seek to be proactive while driving, anticipating next maneuvers and not depending on other drivers, they might be unsafe or distracted. If everyone drove proactively and responsibly, I believe the driving-related deaths would take a plummet.

References

1. “What Are the Most Common Car Accident Fatalities?” Auto-Related News, Trends, & Tips – I Drive Safely, www.idrivesafely.com/defensive-driving/trending/most-common-car-accident-fatalities.

2. Essex, Amanda. Cellular Phone Use and Texting While Driving Laws, www.ncsl.org/research/transportation/cellular-phone-use-and-texting-while-driving-laws.aspx.