Why safety is a necessity on the road

Getting a permit! In Oak Grove High School–and, undeniably, throughout the country–this was a topic of excitement and gave students a sense of independence. It separated the lowly freshman and sophmores (and juniors, if a student’s birthday unluckily happened to fall after a certain time period), from the mighty and revered upperclassmen. However, this sense of independence came with strings attached, which meant taking Drivers Education classes and earning hours behind the wheel in order to be eligible for a permit, and eventually, a license. These Drivers Education classes, although rigorous, would impress the seriousness and responsibility of having the privilege of driving a car. Furthermore, the teachers always made sure that students were paying attention (which was challenging, no doubt, in the era of remote learning and zoom classes that were required for students who took these classes when I took them). Ultimately, the classes would teach students responsibility behind the wheel, reducing the number of traffic accidents and fatalities while teaching students the rules of the road. Continually, there were many checkpoints to ensure students had mastery of the content, which was demonstrated through tests and assignments.

Personally, I have never had an accident while driving, nor have I been in the car when an accident has occurred. This is because of the emphasis that my parents put on driving, constantly reminding me to have both hands on the wheel, keeping music quiet, and always keeping a cell phone out of sight when driving. My parents liked to joke that I wouldn’t be driving again if there was a scratch on the car when I came home (at least I think it was a joke… I’ve never tested to figure it out). However, accidents, although they are a daily part of the hubbub of the road, appear to be increasing, throughout the US and in my home state, North Carolina. This is extremely unfortunate, and speaks volumes toward the dangerous nature of the road and how many people treat it as a joke. In AP Psychology, there is a term for this that we were taught: main character syndrome. This relatively self-explanatory phrase was a demonstration of how everyone (without consciously realizing it) believes, to some extent, that they are the main character, and, as such, will do dangerous things without a second thought about the consequences such as injury or death. The example our teacher used were cars: many people will do dangerous things such as driving at excessive speeds, not wearing a seatbelt, or attempting risky maneuvers in tight situations with a lack of care towards other drivers, often resulting in accidents.

Although accidents have increased, and will continue to happen, there are a number of steps that can be taken to prevent them. Movements from those who have experienced effects of dangerous driving, such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving help to spread awareness of the effects of alcohol on the road and the accidents it can cause. Spreading awareness through initiatives like this, Drivers Education classes, and through media can help the general public to realize the dangers of operating vehicles on the road. Furthermore, continuing to enforce various laws that are set in place currently (such as in North Carolina, where a minimum of 60 hours are required by a permit holder, with some of these hours being in the night) will allow students to accurately get a better understanding of how dangerous the road can be. Although it was difficult to obtain 60 hours of driving behind the wheel in order to get my license (and definitely took more than one Saturday morning of driving to no specific destination with a tired parent to get all of my hours in), it was necessary to learn the exclusive experiences that come along with the responsibility of a license.

Additionally, there are many things that I can do in order to ensure further safety on the road. Obeying traffic laws, although some may be tedious, are put in place for my safety and others. Continuing to follow laws such as the speed limit will allow me to set a good example for others on the road to follow. Furthermore, impressing the seriousness of driving to younger peers (just as my parents did for me), will allow future drivers to be safer on the road. Lastly, using caution in special circumstances, such as with weather conditions or construction, will allow me to continue to be as safe as possible on the road. I acknowledge that accidents cannot be eliminated; however, taking these steps will help to ensure that driving is as safe as possible, and will reduce the number of accidents that are occuring. As I’ve learned from Driver’s Education, and have been reminded by my essay and through my parents, it is better to be safer now than to be a statistic or to have firsthand knowledge of a crash.