Drivers ed, Safer than Metal

Drivers ed, Safer than Metal

38,000 people die every year from road crashes in the United States. Also, 4.4 million people are injured enough to seek care from a hospital. These staggering statistics are the leading cause of death from the ages of one to fifty-four. Questions on how to reduce these incidents arise, but there is an easy answer. It is to increase importance on drivers ed and taking steps to make the road a safer place for drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians. These simple ideas will keep people like my cousin from dying from a poor, uneducated decision. In the case of my cousin, he refused to wear a seatbelt and crashed through the windshield when a drunk driver crashed into him. One bad decision is enough to cause everlasting pain. How many more families must suffer from this same pain from unsafe driving habits?

Drivers ed is the key point in reducing the number of incidents while driving. With education, drivers can discern what is safe and unsafe road practices. Drivers ed also explains the practices behind road signs and various state laws. This knowledge of laws and signs need to be a prerequisite before even being able to drive. The test to obtain a driver’s permit should be enhanced with more questions on road laws and safety conditions to prevent idiotic safety mistakes that lead to death. With the knowledge of safe practices and laws, drivers can reduce the total deaths caused by road accidents. Some examples of drivers ed would be knowing the safe following distance, especially in unstable weather, following the speed limit, and adhering to signs. Usually, drivers follow and expand upon their education making them an experienced and safe driver. However, that is not true in all cases, which is why there are numerous deaths on the road. Unsafe drivers fail to obey these rules of education and are a danger to not only themselves, but to other members of society as well.

Since there are no controlling other drivers, there are important safety steps to take reducing personal injury, and preventive measures of hurting others while driving. Wearing a seatbelt, regularly examining the condition of a vehicle, take into consideration the effect weather has on the road, regularly examine surroundings, not using a cell phone, and not driving while under the influence or tired are great ways to increase safety on the road for both the driver and others. If personal conditions inhibit clear thinking or produce slow-reactions, it is better to not drive at all. Nearly one-third of automotive death is caused by drunk driving. It is estimated that almost forty-four percent of lethal crashes are a result of drug abuse. These two simple uneducated mistakes cause a massive amount of death on the road, and can simply be prevented by having a designated driver or by calling a taxi. With proper education on how these unsafe behaviors affect driving, we can reduce lethal crashes.

Work Cited

“Drugged Driving DrugFacts.” National Institute on Drug Abuse, 16 Jun. 2020, https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/drugged-driving/ Accessed 28 Jul. 2020.

“Drunk Driving.” NHTSA, 17 Jan 2020, www.nhtsa.gov/risky-drinking/drunk-driving/ Accessed 28 Jul. 2020.

“Road Safety Facts.” Association for Safe International Road Travel, 13 Apr. 2020, www.asirt.org/safe-travel/road-safety-facts/ Accessed 28 Jul. 2020