Drive Safe, Live Longer

Imagine receiving a phone call from a friend or family member, distraught and crying, because they were in a car accident. This feeling is something no one wants to go through. Driving education plays a major role in preventing these moments. It is extremely important for each and every driver to be conscious of their surroundings to protect themselves and others from danger.

The importance of driver education in reducing the number of deaths as a result of driving is very dominant. The safety of our community should not be threatened by the way people drive, even though there is a clear standard of what everyone should obey. The number of deaths caused by driving is very agitating and distressing. If we would like to have a calm and civil surrounding, we need to respect and follow the traffic laws. A step that can be taken to reduce the number of deaths related to driving is avoiding consumption of alcohol and drugs. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), one death occurs every 52 minutes in the United States due to driving while intoxicated. Furthermore, drunk driving accidents are accountable for 10,000 deaths every year. There are many helpful alternatives to prevent drunk driving since there are companies that offer mobility as a service, such as Uber, Lyft, Cabify, Citymapper, etc. These companies help the driver arrive at their destination safely without hurting themselves and other individuals.

Another way to reduce the number of deaths related to driving, is by avoiding distractions, such as phone usage. The use of a cell phone while driving is a cognitive distraction because it causes the driver to distract themselves and drift away from the road for an extended time period. It also slows down reaction time since the driver is not focused on the road. As claimed by NHTSA, 400 fatal crashes occur every year as a result of texting and driving. This shows that drivers need to stop using their cell phone while driving to help protect themselves and those around them. Another example to decrease the number of deaths due to driving, is to avoid listening to loud music. According to scientists at Newfoundland’s Memorial University, they found that when someone is listening to loud music while driving, their reaction time slows down to at least 20%. Also, you can enhance the likelihood of being in a distracted driving accident, if you speed up to match the rhythm of a song, or increase the volume extremely loud. Other ways to reduce the number of deaths related to driving, is by obeying the traffic laws and signs, wearing seatbelts, avoid messing with touch screens/ radio stations, avoid applying or fixing makeup, and having children sit in proper car seats. Lastly, an important step all drivers need to make is making sure everything on their car is working correctly. For example, it is important to check on your motor oil, tire pressure, headlights, turn signals, brakes, parking lights, and transmission fluid. These steps will help keep yourself and others safe from any car incidents. They will help prevent those distressing phone calls and future damaged car payments.

From personal experience, I have seen a couple of my family members drive irresponsibly by using their cell phone, not putting on their seatbelt, and not using their signal light. When I see them do this, I do stand up and tell them that they should stop and pay attention. They usually listen and go back to driving normally. I don’t understand why they don’t just obey the simple driving rules, but as a future driver, I understand that it is wrong and I will not be influenced by their bad habits. Equally important, to help others become safer on the road, I can follow the traffic laws as well and be aware of my surroundings. I can also influence my friends and family to do the same and let them know the dangers they could cause if they don’t follow the rules. Another way to prevent future incidents is by teaching the youth about the rules and dangers of driving before just jumping into driving lessons.

All things considered, it is extremely necessary for each and every driver to be conscious of their surroundings to protect themselves and others from danger. No one wants to receive that call from a family or friend in distraught. Driver education is to be taken seriously to help protect our community as a whole and have a safe surrounding.