BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY

Have you ever experienced the situation of waiting in an emergency room on a rainy day praying for your friend to survive and thinking that it was never a good idea to exceed the speed limit that caused a terrible accident? Well, I have, and let me begin by telling you that it is the most awful feeling to accept that a human life is at stake because I chose reckless driving over careful driving. Car accident statistics 2019 found that there were 36,096 car accident deaths per year in the United States. 38,824 people died in 2020 – an increase of 2,728 highway deaths in one year. Moreover, although exact figures are not given, it is estimated that teenagers are to blame for about 500,000 of the six million car accidents that occur in the US each year. What’s even more alarming is that, according to statistics on teen crashes, most of fatal teen vehicle accidents take place within six months of obtaining a license.

After looking at these startling statistics we should all agree that every time we are driving, we are surrounded by irresponsible drivers who can put their life as well as your life in danger. Furthermore, there must be a reason why teenager contributes to the high number of accidents that are caused each year, and possibly that reason is that they do not take drivers’ education seriously. Though your parents may be the best drivers in the world they probably lack the resources or a comprehensive understanding of the driving world, unless your parents are licensed driving instructors. Driving schools have years of experience conducting research, keeping up with laws and regulations, and instructing students in all the skills required to pass their driving test and obtain a license.

Thus, these statistics emphasize the importance of driver education.  There are many benefits of taking a driver’s education with no drawbacks. A driver’s education can make you a better, more responsible, and more confident driver.  Attending driving school will allow you to learn better driving tactics and you will become more knowledgeable about traffic laws. You become aware of the obligations you have as a driver to make sure you abide by the rules and regulations of the road as you learn and come to understand them. Moreover, you are more likely to be comfortable and confident behind the wheel and to recall the traffic laws, the signs’ various interpretations, and how to follow them all. Finally, teens who participate in a driver’s education course of some sort may be eligible for discounts or other advantages from many vehicle insurance carriers.

There are many easy steps that one can take to reduce the deaths that are caused by driving. The first and the most important step is to remind ourselves that only we are responsible for the type of driving we decide to do and thus careful decisions must be made. We should make sure to stay away from distractions like texting someone, talking on a cell phone while only using one hand to drive, or eating while driving. Moreover,  one should stay vigilant and should keep the focus on the road. Speed limits should never be exceeded and following all traffic rules can also significantly lower the number of traffic accidents. Finally, crazy drivers should be avoided and one should never drink alcohol before driving or while driving.

As I mentioned at the beginning of the essay,  I  have personally experienced a car accident because I  exceeded the speed limit and it was also raining. I was dropping my friend off at her apartment after we were done with the group study. I decided to exceed the speed limit and because of that the car didn’t come to a complete stop at the red light because of the wet roads and the car crashed with another car.  Luckily my friend survived giving me the biggest lesson of my life_  you could be the best driver in the world and still endanger your life or someone else’s life if you decide to be an irresponsible driver. Since that accident,  I have always tried to follow all the traffic rules. I never exceed the speed limit. I drive meticulously especially when it rains and  I try my best to not use my phone while I am driving. 

In conclusion, I believe it is high time that we understand that having a car and knowing how to drive one is a privilege that some people don’t even have in developing countries thus driving responsibly should be the only choice every driver_ young or old, experienced, or new is left with. Driving carefully can save your life, save you from paying expensive fines or doing time in jail for traffic violations. Taking a driver’s education enables you to practice driving on the road with a firm understanding of traffic laws beforehand. If every driver follows the traffic rule, then the number of deaths caused by car accidents will lessen notably and driving will no longer be dangerous and deadly in this country.