Safety in the Driving Seat

Car accidents can be life changing events, thus it is imperative to increase drivers ed and push for responsible driving. Drivers ed is beneficial for new and seasoned drivers to learn defensive driving, and techniques to reduce the severity of a potential car accident. Responsible driving is also equally important because if a person is not focused on the task of driving and is thinking about the party they may be heading to they could cause accidents. While some may argue that driving is easy and doesn’t need to be taught I believe that drivers ed is crucial, an increase in road signs is imperative, a reconstruction of intersections is necessary, and accountability is of the utmost importance.

Even though car accidents and related deaths have been decreasing over the past few years it doesn’t mean that we can slack off and call it a day. Instead it means we need to work harder because our efforts have been paying off. The first change that should happen is an increase in road signs and frequency. I know that as a new driver it can be very overwhelming to pay attention to traffic flow, your speed, placement in the road, and the road signs. If we made road signs more frequent it would be easier for drivers to be reminded of the speed limit, intersection, special events, or pedestrian crosswalks, without taking attention away from the road. Since a higher frequency of road signs would decrease accidents it would also decrease the death rate associated with driving a car. However, it is not the only solution or improvement. After new signs are placed, intersections should be redesigned to be simplistic and more efficient. In my hometown we have a fairly large college campus with poorly designed intersections that not only cause frequent back ups but also deadly accidents. There are at least 2 intersections that cause accidents multiple times in one month. If we redesign these intersections there is a possibility that it doesn’t fix the problem but the more likely outcome is that the new intersections will not allow for as much confusion and delay or deaths. The next factor is accountability, in my state, Texas, the age that you can legally drive on the road by yourself is 16 years with having your learners permit for at least 6 months. Teens are notorious for their irrational decisions based on emotion rather than logic, they may decide that it is a good idea to speed just a little bit or go out to drive right after bars close. Having accountability and setting up parameters of when, where, and how they can drive would significantly decrease roadway accidents and deaths. When having accountability the parents or guardians should also prohibit driving if the teen is not mature enough, even if they have satisfied all legal requirements for getting a driver’s license.

I have been in a minor car accident, heard stories from family members being in serious accidents, and seen first hand the sketchy driving they partake in. The accident that I was in was a minor rear ending, however 3 cars were involved. We slowed to not cause a crash with a car pulling out of a parking lot, the car behind us also slowed without any taps to our car. But the car behind the car that was behind us had run the light and pummeled full speed into the truck with a trailer that was behind us. The force was so hard that the car that ran the red light pushed the stopped truck into our car, hard enough that we needed a new hatch and fender. Thankfully everybody was okay but the car that rammed into the truck was beyond totalled, the engine compartment had been pushed flat and all airbags were deployed. It was scary because I had never been in an accident before, but from that I learned that you should always check your rear view mirrors when stopped in a roadway for whatever reason. I have also heard from my aunt the serious crashes that she has been involved in. She has been involved in many crashes that have involved ambulance transportation for fear of spinal injuries, however in this case it was because she tends to text and drive constantly. This sketchy driving is so dangerous, we always hear what texting and driving can do but I don’t think we actually understand until a family member is affected.

To try and do my part in preventing the roadway accidents I do a few things. First is that I am always vigilant when a parent or another family member is driving, this may involve checking mirrors or watching side traffic that are in blindspots. There have been a few times where they perform an action with the car that I tell them to not do because of passing cars or light that changed. I am also a stickler when it comes to phones in the car, I offer to do navigation so they are not distracted and remind them to stop reaching for their phone even during a red light. Alongside that I memorize where the hazards are and formulate a plan for if I need to take over driving if they pass out or have a stroke or seizure. My plan is always to turn on the hazards, move their foot away from all pedals, tell my siblings to call 911, and try to steer the car into a grassy open area if I cannot reach the break fast enough, all while having the sibling that is calling 911 monitor traffic and prepare the other passengers for potential impact. I have never had to do any of this but I think it is extremely important to have a plan just in case. To make myself a better driver I pay attention to how traffic typically flows so that I can mimic that, and observe family members in how they accelerate and slow the car.