One Decision Away from Life or Death

At the age of sixteen, most kids in the state of Wisconsin can receive their licenses. Teenagers are able to go and get their license upon completing the required driver’s education course and behind the wheel. According to the Wisconsin DOT, Wisconsin reported a total of 541 fatalities resulting from car accidents in 2021.

Driver’s education is an important class for every individual to complete. This course goes through everything from the basic parts of a vehicle to the laws of the roadways. It informs people on the laws they absolutely need to follow, but also how to be a cautious driver in different conditions. Living in Wisconsin, we deal with a lot of snow and rain. Both of these can affect the driving conditions. Driver’s education teaches the importance of slowing down and making smart decisions. For example, it teaches us to increase our following distances and time allotted to stop. Without driver’s education many drivers may not know how to navigate through snow or icy roads. Uneducated drivers can lead to fatal accidents that are easily avoidable. Driver’s education also teaches the importance of not driving under the influence. In driver’s education we tried on the ‘drunk’ goggles and saw just how difficult it is to get around just by walking, let alone in a vehicle. Many fatal accidents each year can be avoided by having a designated driver.

There are many ways to steer clear of being a part of a fatal car accident. If the roads are icy, give vehicles ahead of you plenty of room to avoid sliding into them. When driving on snow covered roads, it is crucial to slow down and make sure your headlights are on so your vehicle is visible to other drivers. Another option is to avoid driving a lot if possible. When stores and schools start to cancel, drivers should stay home unless it is absolutely necessary to leave. It is also crucial to scrape off the snow from your vehicle and utilize your defrost to keep your windshield clear. Even if you are in a hurry or running late, it is critical that you take the time to clear off your windshield and rear windshield to avoid a crash due to little to no visibility. Similar to driving in the snow or ice, driving in the rain decreases your traction. It is important to leave plenty of space for stopping at stop signs or stoplights and to accelerate or decelerate slowly to avoid skidding. Alcohol and other substances can increase your reaction times, impair your vision, and cause poor decision making. All of these factors when operating a motor vehicle can lead to a fatal car accident. Drinking and driving can put not only yourself, but other people at risk. Everyone should take the initiative to find a designated driver prior to taking part in drinking or using any other substances.

My dad is on a volunteer fire department and has always made us aware of the importance of being a safe and responsible driver. He has seen many fatal car accidents and being from a small town you always hope that it is not a family member or anyone that you know. In just the last few years there has been an increase in teen car accidents in our small community. A young boy, under the influence, drove off the road and flew over a driveway going over 80 mph. The mix of his use of alcohol and excessive speed caused him to lose control. Although he was not from our area, it still impacted our community greatly. More recently, another teenage boy was driving three girls, who were all under the influence, were driving at a high rate of speed and hit a set of railroad tracks causing the driver to lose control and roll the vehicle. Two of the girls, just fourteen and fifteen years old, died as a result from this accident after being transported by helicopter to the hospital. This devastated our entire community as they had to grieve the loss of these two young girls who had an entire life ahead of them. With the recent snowfalls, there has been an increase in car accidents due to the poor road conditions. For example, a small suv had lost control on an icy highway and crossed the centerline hitting a tanker in the oncoming traffic lane. The driver of the SUV was pronounced dead at the scene. All of these accidents could have been avoided by taking more preventable measures, like getting a sober person to drive and slowing down on slippery roads.

There are many things that I can do to be a better and safer driver on our roads. I can pay attention to road conditions, take the extra time to clean off my car, and slow down to get to my destination safely. Additionally, I can be an attentive driver by watching other drivers and keeping my eyes on the road at all times in the event that they lose control or cross the center lines. It’s important that I never drink and drive no matter what age I am or how much alcohol is consumed. Alcohol affects everyone differently, so it is better to be on the safe side and avoid driving after any consumption of alcohol. Lastly, I can make sure that I always wear my seatbelt in the event I do ever get into an accident, it can better protect me.

Driver’s education is a critical course that all drivers need to take. Driver’s education teaches people the importance of being a safe and responsible driver. If everyone takes the time to be a safe and responsible driver, they can greatly reduce the number of fatal car accidents.