The Impact of Education on Driving-Related Deaths

Being safe and taking precautions while driving are fundamentals that everyone should know, but not everyone tends to follow. The number of deaths annually related to driving has been astronomical. One important step that could be taken to reduce this number is to provide more opportunities for driver’s education. Driver’s education is incredibly important for keeping our roads safe, as it provides insight into the conditions of the road, and ensures drivers know how to act and drive safely, as well as how to follow the laws of the road. An important part of driver’s education is the on-the-road portion, in which learners are able to gain experience and learn the skills and behaviors they will have to gain and adapt to while driving on their own. It may also be able to provide them with knowledge and experience on factors that may increase the risk factor of driving, including the effects of fatigue on one’s awareness and driving ability, driving with worn-out tires, or driving with others in the vehicle.

I have been learning how to drive as of recently, and I have experienced many instances of people driving unsafely out on the road. It can be very intense and even stress-inducing at times, as I have been needing to learn how to drive defensively in order to protect myself from the actions of other drivers who may have been driving irresponsibly. I have never personally been a part of a crash, but I do know family members who have. Luckily, no one was hurt, but there was a fair amount of damage done to the vehicles. Not only is unsafe driving costly in terms of injury and death, but in damages to vehicles and personal property. A lot of younger drivers are unsafe drivers because they tend to be more confident when on the road, despite having less experience, and they aren’t fully educated. One of the benefits of driver’s education is being able to work on this issue and increase the likelihood of the learner driving in a safer way.

There are several ways to become a safer driver and help reduce your own risk of injury on the road. It is always important to keep in mind all the different risks that come with driving, and to always keep your focus on the road, but to also be mindful of other drivers. It’s best to eliminate as many distractions as you can, especially as a beginner. It’s also important to follow certain guidelines, such as having a one-to-two car distance between yourself and the car in front of you. It’s always best to have your speed low and never go over the speed limit, even if the cars around you may be. A driver must be able to make quick decisions and have good reflexes to react quickly to any sort of situation. It is also imperative to be aware of the traffic laws and rules such as right-of-way, as well as knowing the meanings of street signs and taking them into consideration. Driving is not an easy task, contrary to a lot of people’s beliefs. This overconfidence in one’s driving skills could contribute to a habit of unsafe driving, creating a dangerous environment for themselves and others around them. It is important when learning how to drive safely to emphasize the risk of overconfident drivers on the road.

Other than the risk of other drivers, another huge risk and large factor of the amount of driver deaths is distracted driving. Distracted driving is when anything causes the driver to take their focus off of the road. This can be anything, including music, being on the phone, having others in the car, or performing activities like putting on makeup or looking for something you dropped. This is such a dangerous factor because a lot can happen within the span of a few seconds where one’s eyes are off the road. One easy way to prevent this is to remove or mute all distractions, like turning off your phone, turning off the radio, or keeping others in the car quiet.

Another factor that a lot of people don’t think about is road conditions and weather. Speed limits are intended to display the recommended maximum speed in ideal weather conditions. When on the road, it is important to pay attention to the current conditions and adapt accordingly, including looking for road signs that may indicate that some areas may be more dangerous according to the weather conditions. Hydroplaning is a very common issue, in which a driver begins to lose control over their car because the road is slippery, and the tires lose traction. Conditions such as fog or heavy snow can impair a driver’s line of sight, and may not be able to see road signs or other drivers. In order to prevent such events from occurring, it’s always best to be educated on what to do in such situations. For example, to prevent hydroplaning, it’s best to go slower than the speed limit to keep better control of the car. When one’s sight is impaired by fog, its best to have on the low beams and drive slowly and cautiously. Of course, it’s best to avoid these conditions all together, but it’s always best to be alert and educated in the case that you have to go through these conditions.

In conclusion, driving can be a very unsafe environment, which causes an immense amount of driving-related deaths per year. The best way to keep one’s self safe while driving is to be educated, always alert, and drive defensively. One should always take as many precautions and steps as they can to ensure their safety, as well as the safety of others around them, while on the road to prevent these injuries and deaths.