A Safe Drive Saves Lives

Being a safe driver should be a top priority when setting foot into any vehicle. As someone who did not receive her driver’s license until age 22, I know that driving is a huge responsibility and should be taken seriously. There are many things that we should be doing to ensure that we are safe on the roads. To ensure driver safety, we should place more value on driving tests, limit distractions, and adhere to road rules.

First, increasing driving knowledge and practice in American driving education would also greatly decrease the number of car accidents and fatalities, due to inexperienced and reckless drivers. When I took my driving test, the driving instructor was frustrated with previous students and decided to just tell me to stop at the crosswalk and the stop sign, so that I do not fail the test. Not to mention, I took my driving exam in a parking lot, and I was required to do approximately 4 maneuvers or skills. How does this prepare a person for driving conditions they may experience on busy highways, traffic circles, or unexpected driving challenges? The answer is simple: it does not. Going to the DMV, who is to say I even had experience driving on busy streets and highways before I walked in attempting to obtain a license? My husband is from England, and the driving tests in the UK are much stricter and more developed than the driving tests that we have here in America. It is not uncommon for people in the UK to fail their driving exam the first time around. While the driving exams in the US typically last 15-20 minutes and may not take place in busy areas, the driving tests in the UK can last around an hour and take place on busy roads and with tricky conditions. There is even a part of the exam called “independent driving” where the instructor gives the student driver a name of a location that they want the driver to navigate to. This is an important skill to have, as it shows if the driver is quick to follow directions in the car but can navigate to a place safely. The driving exam in the UK also includes a portion called “Show me, tell me”, where the driver is asked to demonstrate their knowledge of the car. In this part of the exam, the instructor may ask the driver to show them how to check the brakes, how to find the tire pressures, and how to correctly adjust the head rest. These skills are imperative for ensuring a safe journey in the car. Although some people may have a negative look on the difficulty of these exams, I feel that this is a positive thing, as I do not want to be driving on the same road as someone who only qualified as a driver because they demonstrated a 3-point turn and were able to stop at a crosswalk. I would not feel safe driving with someone who has not shown that they have significant experience being on the road. According to the World Health Organization, the average number of fatalities from car crashes a year per 100,000 people in the US is 12.4 (Violence and Injury Prevention). In the UK, the average number is 2.9 (Violence and Injury Prevention), which is a significant difference in safety, and I feel this is largely due to the differences in driving exam requirements. All in all, we need to improve our driving tests in America so that people are more adequately equipped to safely drive a vehicle. The amount of people I come across on the roads who do not utilize their turn signals, or who pull out onto roads unsafely, just on my 5-minute commute to work is deplorable. There have been times when I have had cars make reckless decisions on the road around me, making me feel uncomfortable or in danger. Luckily for me, I am a safe driver and am always aware of my surroundings, so I react appropriately.

Adding on, to further reduce the number of car accidents, people should practice being more focused on driving and less focused on other distractions. I have also been in a few fender benders, and both incidents were due to distractions. When I was a child, my dad took his eyes off the road to look at me and my brother and try to make us laugh. Thankfully, we missed the car by a bit and avoided a head-on collision, but due to my father’s recklessness, he not only put himself, myself, and my brother in danger, but other drivers on the road in danger. I was in another slight accident a few years later, when the driver of the car was too far out in traffic and was arguing with the passenger about it. The crash took off the front bumper of the car. This is another example of distracted driving. Distracted driving is not necessarily just texting and driving. It is eating and drinking, talking to people in the car, listening to loud music, or anything else that may prohibit the driver from making careful, smart decisions in the car. It is important that we are aware of our own distractions and that we make an attempt to eliminate anything that could take our focus off the road, not just for our own sakes, but for the sakes of others. This will also allow you to be more aware of your surroundings, keeping other drivers, pedestrians, and animals nearby safe as well.

Finally, the simplest way to be a better, safer driver is to abide by all traffic regulations. These may include always wearing your seat belt, paying attention to road signs, and following speed limits. This seems simple enough, yet I see these issues all the time on the road. Florida freeways may have a 70 m.p.h. speed limit, but everyone is going 80 m.p.h. or more. Traffic rules and regulations are established based on research and analysis of road safety data. They take into account factors such as vehicle speed, road conditions, and traffic volume to minimize the risk of accidents and injuries. By following these rules, drivers can help reduce the number of accidents on the road and prevent injuries and fatalities. In addition, following the rules of the road helps maintain order and predictability on the road. When drivers know what to expect from other road users, they can react more quickly and safely, reducing the risk of collisions and injuries.

In conclusion, by increasing the difficulty of the driving exams, putting safety before distractions, and abiding by traffic laws, together we can limit the number of traffic accidents and deaths incurred from them each year. You have the ability to do these things, and you can ensure that other people put safety first as well. Educate your family and friends on safe driving practices, set good examples for others by following the rules of the road, and encourage anyone getting into a car to wear their seatbelt, or to not drive if they do not seem well enough to do so. I want to live in a world where I feel comfortable in my car, knowing that others around me will put safety above anything else, and I hope that one day I can live in a world like that.

Works Cited

“Violence and Injury Prevention: Data.” World Health Organization, World Health Organization, 10 Nov. 2015, https://web.archive.org/web/20151130025846/http://www.who.int/violence_injury_prevention/road_safety_status/2015/GSRRS2015_data/en/.