Between The Lines

Picture the world without the finely-tuned invention of the automobile. The contrast is mystifying. Despite the benefit of less teenaged-owned, straight-piped hatchbacks, the lives of many would be filled with Olympic-style running events to and from the workplace. Nonetheless, such a fictional example illustrates, supplementary to the generalized ideology, that driving is rather an assessment of judgment, consisting of numerous decisions that are crucial to an individual’s survival.

The ability to operate a motor vehicle in the safest means possible relies heavily on an individuals’ knowledge, experience, and capabilities. Much like a football quarterback, a driver is the captain of the playing field. The team relies on the quarterback to make split second decisions in regards to operation during a play, holding the authorized ability to make a play successful or not. It is their responsibility to make the correct and justified decision while playing, utilizing their experience, knowledge, and expertise as they account for the unexpected. In order to develop into a credible and accountable driver, one must dedicate time and have a system of mentors and coaches that encourages improvement and success through education. Driver education provides the opportunity for drivers to improve their abilities through practice, visualization, and examples. Driver education prevents drivers from being thrown into situations they are unprepared for, as they not only have an understanding but a mastered ability to operate in any situation through learning traffic laws, understanding road signs, and gaining knowledgeable experience that will translate to the ultimate comfort behind the wheel and between the lines. 

Highlighting the importance of driver education is crucial in supporting the idea that more individuals should attend, aiming to significantly reduce the number of deaths related to driving. Increasing the scale of driver’s education to include classes available in high schools provides easier access for families and students to integrate it into their schedule, increasing the number of educated, safety-oriented drivers and ultimately preventing future deaths. In addition to school-based availability, increasing monetary rewards for individuals who have successfully completed driver education can greatly reduce driving incidents involving death. Insurance corporations should assert greater partnerships with driver education institutions, focused on decreasing monthly rates for drivers who achieve higher levels of driver education. Such an idea will encourage drivers to complete courses themselves and further their education in order to save greater amounts on insurance, providing corporations with more accomplished, safe drivers that will cost less in insurance settlements.

The encouragement of education is crucial, but it is also important to assist individuals in using the most modern technology for such learning. Through taxation, government subsidies should be provided to individuals, families, and businesses to purchase newer vehicles that achieve higher safety standards and testing scores. Through modern research and development, newer vehicles are inherently safer for the driver and passengers in the event of a crash. Older automobiles, despite being fascinating and enjoyable, will be more likely to be unsafe due to the design and wear associated with age. Heavier frames, fewer airbags, and lessened breaking capabilities all provide a substantial increase in the risk of death in an accident.

On a level of equal importance, disobedience to traffic laws on public roadways will consequently lead to an increase in the number of accidents. In order to encourage adherence to road laws, one step that should be taken is the enhancement of enforcement personnel and technology. Hiring more officers, in addition to increased speed cameras within cities and along highways, will expand the reach of road laws. Further enforcing speed limits, distracted driving, and impaired driving laws will encourage more attentive and regulatory driving habits in individuals, thus helping to prevent accidents. Increases in patrol officers and speed cameras come with higher costs, but such value is justified through tickets and the decreased need for crash cleanup.

Mercifully, I have not been subject to a large-scale, life-threatening car accident, but I have had a modest experience. In 2019, my family and I collided with a deer on a two-lane, un-illuminated highway on our way to Saskatchewan. The crash happened in an instant, but from my perspective, there was a deceleration of time, and a significant feeling of helplessness. The adult deer, smaller than average, ran in front of our vehicle, leaving maybe a fraction of a second to swerve, either into oncoming traffic or into the water on the other side. In that fraction of time, our only justifiable reaction was to swerve as much as our highway lane would allow, still making contact with the deer. Despite the rush of nervousness and adrenaline, none of my family members or myself, were injured. Such advantage was not given to the deer, who unfortunately met his demise that day. This personal experience inspired me to further encourage another, geographically-focused step that can be taken to reduce the number of deaths related to driving.

Based on an individual’s location, requirements of specific added sections and lectures within driver education should be made. Drivers like me who live in specific regions, including rural Canada, should learn road safety rules specific to their location, such as wildlife crossings and minimally maintained road conditions. For example, my cousin, who lives in rural Saskatchewan, had to take his driver’s education and licensing exam in a city quite far away during the summer months. Therefore, his education inadequately prepared him for the driving that he would experience in rural areas and potential winter conditions. He was subject to multiple single-vehicle accidents due to failure to slow his vehicle on turns and declines. Such incidents, while at fault oneself, still can be connected, not blame, to his lack of education towards conditions that he was more likely to experience. Therefore, another recommended step to reduce driving-related deaths would be to individualize the educational experience for drivers based on their geographic location to prepare them for all possible scenarios. 

To be an acquainted driver, one must take a personal course of action into consideration, furthering their own safety along with those around them. As a frequent driver, I find it essential to compile specific actions into a record for the purpose of reiteration and remembrance. My daily travels consist of driving to and from baseball practice in a nearby city, which takes place during all seasons of the year, both inside and outside. Such driving has become quite routine, but with a total driving time of just shy of two hours, there are many important steps that I must take to become a better driver in the process. Firstly, I allocate more time for driving by leaving earlier to prevent the need to rush while on the road. Having excess time to drive removes the need to maintain higher speeds or to accelerate and decelerate quickly. My timeliness gives me the confidence to be a defensive driver, meaning that I can take more time at stop signs, make sure the coast is clear, and removing the need to continue through intersections during the occurrence of a yellow light indication. Secondly, I ensure the continued use of hands-free technology within my vehicle for the safety of myself and others. Being able to conduct phone calls with friends and family while never having to remove my full attention from the road is a crucial factor in ensuring that I am driving in a safe manner. Many individuals, especially teenagers, use hand-held devices frequently for communication, even while driving to their destination. I believe such behaviour is extremely dangerous, and safety-oriented drivers will continue to focus on the importance of attentive driving through legal and safe communication with family and friends outside of the vehicle. Thirdly, to be a better and safer driver, I keep my vehicle clean and maintained, especially during the winter and spring months, to ensure that snow, dirt, and debris stay off of the vehicle. These steps ensure that my fellow drivers have a clear sight of my vehicle’s lights and indicators while also making sure that I have clear sight throughout the whole vehicle in my mirrors and windows. Furthermore, performing brake, tire, and engine inspection provides confidence that my vehicle will operate smoothly and correctly with my driving input. 

While driver education courses only occur for a limited time, the information and practice are perpetual. For drivers, especially myself, it is of utmost importance to constantly want to improve my personal ability on the roadway in order to improve safety while driving. To firstly take driver’s education, gaining confidence and knowledge about operating a motor vehicle, is a huge courtesy to oneself. But, to consume even more professional knowledge from trusted online sources or further educational institutions is a courtesy to one’s community and its residents. An individual’s ability to drive safely relies on one’s personal preparation, where practice will truthfully result in perfection. Identifying one’s weakest skill, such as parallel parking for myself, and dedicating purposeful, vigilant practice to such skill will only improve one’s ability overall. Reflecting on experiences, such as past accidents, enables individuals to take meaningful steps from a national to a personal scale, for the safety of themselves and other drivers, reducing the number of deaths between the lines by a promising amount.