Driving for life

On the DmvEdu.org scholarship website, there is a graph that shows that the number of US highway fatalities seems to be declining until 2012. In 2012 you can see how the chart starts to show that the deaths are rising. It seems to me that most crashes were caused by 3 categories; speeding, DUI and distractions. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 38,824 people were killed in traffic crashes. This is the highest number since 2007. This is not taking into consideration the new driverless vehicles that are starting to make test runs in the real world. Personally, I do not believe that we as a society are ready to take the next step in transportation when we already have such a hard time when we are behind the wheel and staying focused. Automated vehicles still need an attentive driver and as we have seen on the news this does not seem to be the case when someone is currently sitting in the driver’s seat. I will, to the best of my ability, answer the questions that have been set forth in the annual scholarship opportunity Essay.

“What is the importance of driver education in reducing the number deaths as a result of driving? Driver education helps to ensure that the people that are preparing to drive have a knowledge base on which to draw as they operate a vehicle. As a mother of a driving age teen I for one can tell you that having him take driver education and training in the real world eases my mind a bit more than if my husband or I were the only ones training him. Yes, we still do take him out for lessons ourselves but he is also learning from a driving instructor and is taking online classes to prepare him for basic driving.

What steps can be taken to reduce the number of deaths related to driving? New drivers can be restricted to daytime driving only with special exceptions for when they must attend classes or work at night. No teen with a license or permit should use a cell phone or have friends in the car. They must drive alone or with a parent/guardian in the vehicle. As for law breaking, an initial infraction will send them back to learner status with provisional permits and they must take driver education again. Second infraction will be a larger fine plus all of the above and no license for 6 months or longer. Third and final infraction will be loss of license for 1 year or longer, jail time, plus all of the above. Anyone who has had a DUI/DWI has all of the above penalties plus loses all driving privileges and should have a parole officer to assign a driver to make sure that the person does not drive in the daytime and ankle bracelets to be tracked for a year. Also, just as new vehicles have advanced safety features available for an occasional additional fee, all vehicles should have these safety features as standard.

Have you ever had an experience of being in car accident or have seen your friends or family members driving irresponsibly? Fortunately, everyone that I have ever driven in a vehicle with is usually responsible. We have been hit by other drivers though and that is never a good experience. It is upsetting and can be scary for all involved. I have an aunt who has been hit on two different occasions by semi-trucks and both times it was due to negligence on the truck drivers part. The truck drivers were either too sleepy and still operating the vehicle or they were distracted and did not see her car. Both times she and her passengers were injured. These situations could have been avoided if the truck driver was well rested and aware of other vehicles around them without being distracted.

What steps can you take to be a better and safer driver as well as help others become safer on the road?” I can drive only if I am not sleepy. We can stay off of our devices while operating the vehicle. As a mom myself I know how difficult it is to drive if a child is having a meltdown in the backseat. Even though pulling over may not seem like an option, it is better to pull over and take a breath and then calm the child before moving on. My husband and I are usually safe drivers but that does not mean we are perfect. We can and should be looking for ways to safely be on the road. This includes making sure that our vehicle is in working order and not about to break down on the road and that tires are in optimal condition. Taking a few extra minutes before heading out to check the tires may seem like an insignificant thing but it could mean all the difference between getting to my destination safely or crashing on the road and possibly causing an accident.

I appreciate the time you have taken in reading my essay and wish you a good day and a safe ride home. “The rising fatalities on our roadways are a national crisis; we cannot and must not accept these deaths as inevitable,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg

https://www.nhtsa.gov/press-releases/2020-traffic-crash-data-fatalities

https://www.dmvedu.org/scholarship