Important Factors in Driver’s Safety

Important Factors in Driver’s Safety

According to the National Safety Council, car accidents were the cause of almost 39,000 deaths in 2019. Most of these crashes were due to distracted driving or inadequate driver training. Since researching the statistics on accidents caused by driving, I have realized that having the proper driving skills and maintaining focus plays a major role in the safety of the driving community.

For most teenagers, driving is a rite of passage, but in order to obtain that privilege, new drivers should go through classes in order to learn safe driving skills. Driving education teaches sound-decision making, rules of the road and how to adapt to different weather conditions. Without proper training, motorists are risking their own lives as well as others around them.

In 2018, 400,000 people were injured due to distracted driving. Whether it’s conversing while driving, using a phone or switching a song, the smallest distraction can have catastrophic consequences. When a driver checks a text message, on average it takes their eyes off the road for five seconds. At an average speed of 55 miles per hour, that equates to driving the entire length of a football field with your eyes closed. Eliminating as many distractions as possible can help reduce the number of accidents and deaths. This includes limiting conversations while driving, keeping music volumes low and turning off all phone notifications.

Although I have not been in a crash myself, I have seen first-hand how improper driving can lead to accidents. Living in the mountains, I have encountered situations where drivers had an accident because they did not know how to properly drive in the weather conditions. Icy or snow packed roads require slower driving speeds, increased distances between cars and slower acceleration and deceleration.

While phones and texting are among the main forms of distractions, they are not the only ones. Anything that requires a driver to take their full attention off the road can be disrupting. After examining my own driving habits, I recognize that passengers, music and phones are my main distractions to safe driving. There are steps I can take to avoid being a distracted driver. I will limit the conversations I have in the car, not interact with my music, and turn off all phone notifications in order to keep myself and others safe while I am on the road.

All things considered, an untrained or distracted driver is dangerous. In order for our roads to be safe for everyone, motorists must take important precautions. New drivers need to take the appropriate courses to learn road safety, and both new and experienced drivers must always be focused on the road and aware of their surroundings.

Works Cited

“AAA Exchange.” Winter Driving Tips, exchange.aaa.com/safety/driving-advice/winter-driving-tips/#.XyS-Jy2ZOqA

[email protected]. “U Drive. U Text. U Pay.” NHTSA, 6 Mar. 2020, www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/distracted-driving

[email protected]. “Distracted Driving.” NHTSA, 1 Apr. 2020, www.nhtsa.gov/campaign/distracted-driving

“On The Road.” Fatality Estimates, www.nsc.org/road-safety/safety-topics/fatality-estimates