Driver Safety

Valeria E. Sible

Georgia Southern University

Class of 2024

Everyone knows somebody who has been affected by, or has been a victim of, a fatal car accident. According to flhsmv.gov, in 2018, there was 3,135 fatalities. Some of the fatalities from 2018 had drugs or alcohol involved. The importance of educating yourself about driver safety is to understand how it enhances your knowledge of the road, the attitude you should have while driving, and the skills you need to learn to operate a vehicle.

These days, most people are glued to their cell phones. While driving, the road should be your focus. Some steps we can take to reduce the number of fatalities is make all 50 states “Hands Free” states, put more road signs out to remind people to stay off their phones, and to put their seatbelts on. Having every driver take a driver safety course every two to three years would help reduce the number of fatalities and ensure all the precautions you should take on the road stay fresh in their mind.

When I was 16, I got in an accident. I was driving late at night on a four-lane road with many intersections. I was at a stop light with a few cars in front of me. When the light turned green, the cars in front of me began driving. While on the other side of the road, an ambulance in the turning lane started heading straight towards us. We all slammed on breaks and I ended up rear-ending the back of the car in front of me. If the cars ahead of us would have been paying better attention and had not went, then we would have seen the ambulance coming and we would have completely avoided the accident. Another relevant example is when my little brother’s best friends died from a car accident. They were driving on a two-lane road in Jacksonville when another oncoming vehicle attempted to make an illegal passing maneuver into their lane and hit them head on. The accident killed four out of the five people on impact. If the car in the opposite lane would have paid more attention to see the oncoming traffic, this accident could have also been avoided. When driving recklessly, you are not only putting your life at risk, but others as well.

Now that I have had my license for 2 years, I am a much more aware driver, especially since the wreck I experienced. Steps I take to be a better driver is to not touch my phone if I need it for GPS, as I have a cell phone cradle that attaches on my dash so I can look hands free. Paying attention to the road and other cars around you is especially important because you cannot trust that because you are driving cautiously that it is safe. I encourage everyone to share this with their family and friends so that we may all stay safe while driving on the road.