Driver’s Safety

Imagine you are driving to your friend’s house. They only live ten minutes away, and you take the drive often, so you have the route memorized. You usually start playing your music before you pull out of the driveway, but your friend said it was an emergency, so you didn’t get the chance to. While driving, you have the sudden urge to turn on some jams, so you reach for your phone. You’re swiping through your playlist when suddenly—BAM. Your head jerks forward and your phone is thrown from your hand. You look up to see the car accident you just caused.

Even though it is unlikely, situations like this happen way more often than they should. Over 30,000 deaths occur every year just by car accidents. In fact, in the US, driving is more dangerous than going into combat. One slight distraction could cost you your life, or worse, someone else’s.

One major thing can be done to effectively prevent driving-related deaths–getting a solid driver’s education. Driver’s education is the most important and necessary step in reducing and preventing accidents. It is crucial to know the rules of the road and how to establish safe driving habits for yourself. With thorough education, young adults can learn about the consequences of driving without having to directly experience them. If they are aware of how deadly driving can be, they are less likely to go and do something that could put themselves at risk. Young adults should also be educated on safe driving habits and how to establish them. If safe driving habits have been established, it will reduce the chances of getting into an accident. The best way to prevent deaths is to prevent accidents, and the best way to prevent accidents is through education. As a nation, driver’s education could be more uniform and thorough, that way everyone has the same baseline of learning. When it comes to driving, knowledge is power.

Personally, I have a lot of knowledge of the consequences of driving. Luckily, I have only been in one car crash. I was with my family, and someone rear-ended us. There was no damage or injuries, but it was still a stressful and dangerous situation to be in. In addition to that, I have witnessed and experienced a lot of reckless driving. Eating while driving, texting while driving, speeding, racing—all these things are dangerous and could cause accidents. Situations like these can be very scary, as it only takes a split-second for something bad to happen.

When I was younger, my brother got hit by a car. It was a hit-and-run, and he was only five years old. The driver was found to be intoxicated and driving a stolen car, yet no charges could be pressed because they couldn’t prove who did it. My brother survived just fine. He had scrapes and bruises, but nothing severe except for lifelong scars. Having that experience at such a young age engrained the importance of safe driving into my head. I was aware of how dangerous driving can be and what damage it can cause. Other people are fortunate to not experience situations as I did, but then they are almost more likely to be reckless and make poor decisions when it comes to driving because they don’t think anything like that could ever happen to them. An example of this happened this past winter. A kid from my hometown, whom my family used to know well, drove under the influence and caused a horrible accident. He drove for 10 miles on the wrong side of the highway and had a head-on collision which resulted in the driver’s death and severely injured the passenger of the other car. He was charged with vehicular homicide and is serving over three years in jail as a result. This kid now has a permanent criminal record, and even though he survived, his life is ruined. This goes to say that education and knowledge about the potential consequences of driving are very important to preventing accidents from happening.

With all this being said, there are several steps you can take to be a safe and responsible driver on the road. You must wear a seatbelt. Never drive without one, as if you do end up in an accident, this is what would save your life. Limiting distractions is the next biggest thing. Phones, music, friends—all these things can cause distractions that put you at risk. Phones should be put on do not disturb and placed out of your reach, so you are not tempted to grab them. Music should be turned on before you start driving, and if you want to change it, ask your passenger to do so if you have one, or opt for the radio. Limit the number of passengers in your car, especially if you are driving in a place you never have before. When you need to be focused, having lots of people in the car can be very distracting. Never get in the car with someone who has been under the influence. Even if they seem okay, their reaction times are slowed down, and driving with them put you all at risk. If you or any of your friends are going to be under the influence, determine a designated driver. Other things to keep in mind are avoiding driving at night when you can, don’t succumb to road rage, and always checking your surroundings on the road. Being a safe and responsible driver is much easier than it seems and will only save lives.