Death by Driving

Garrett Hidalgo

Drivers ed Initiative Award

5 May, 2020

Death by Driving

Automobiles are one of the
greatest inventions of the last 200 years. They have made the world
a much smaller place, but they have also made it a much more
dangerous one. Vehicles can be merciless killing machines if used
improperly, and the misuse of them can land the driver in jail. A
license to drive should mean the person is capable of operating such
dangerous machinery and understands the consequences of abusing the
vehicle. Unfortunately, many with such licenses are far from
educated on the proper use of automobiles. As a result, an estimated
38,000 people lost there lives as a result of motor vehicles in 2019.
Proper drivers ed is paramount to reducing deaths on U.S.
roads.

Currently, many teenagers
receive their driver’s licenses after a few months of training.
Unless taught by a private instructor, many teens will be crammed in
a car with two of their peers and expected to learn how to drive with
limited hands-on experience. Driving education should be one-on-one,
and the instructor’s attention should be devoted to their student
and not a group of teens. Additionally, prospective drivers should
be required to demonstrate proficiency on high-traffic roads. Some
DPS offices only require drivers to drive on feeder or back roads
during the driving test. In fact, it is entirely possible to obtain
a driver’s license without ever becoming comfortable on freeways.
These teens will grow up scared of high-traffic areas and unable to
safely navigate busy freeways. The mistakes they make as a result of
poor training can be deadly.

Besides providing new drivers
with a better education, current drivers can alter their habits to
help ensure safer roads for everybody. My driving instructor often
told me to never trust a green light. Whenever we passed by a wreck
at an intersection, he would remind me, “Some ran a red light, and
someone trusted a green light.” All safe drivers should pride
themselves on surveying upcoming intersections to avoid potential
crashes. These safe habits must be practiced everywhere. My driving
instructor told me once 20% of car crashes occur in parking lots, and
50% occur within 5 miles of home. Safe drivers must fight the
tendency to let their guard down in areas they are familiar with. By
bettering drivers ed and creating safe habits as current
drivers, we can lower the death rate on US roads.

Driving is a privilege, and as
such it should be treated with respect. Vehicles are not a means for
entertainment, nor are they to be treated carelessly. By extension,
the education of new drivers should promote this mindset. If teens
start taking driving seriously, then roads will automatically become
much safer. The future starts with the young people of this
generation, and if they are instructed properly then death by driving
will decrease dramatically.