Safer Driving Results from a Few Steps

With driving accidents being the highest reason for death in the U.S., as a nation we need to do everything we can in order to reduce the number of deaths that result from driving. The best way to do this is through driver education. Driver education can give Americans the skills they need to be better, safer drivers.

As a driver, there are a few steps that you can take in order to help reduce the number of driving deaths. The first is obviously to be serious about taking driver education. If you do not take it seriously and only do the bare minimum to qualify for your license, you will not gain the skills needed to make you a truly safe driver. Another step is to make sure that you are not driving while distracted. What could distract drivers? Driving while using your phone, having music too loud so you may not hear another car honking or an emergency vehicle approaching, driving while having a heat conversation with someone or while you are upset are examples of things that could distract a driver. A third step would be never, ever driving while under the influence of alcohol, marijuana, or any drug that might impair your ability to think and/or react. A fourth step is to make sure that you are aware of your surroundings. Being aware of your surroundings allows you to foresee a potential accident before it happens and could give you the opportunity to avoid an accident. A fifth step to minimize driving deaths would be to take your time! When you are in a rush driving, you may not be as aware of what is going on around you and may make rash decisions that could put you and others in danger. You are also more likely to be tempted to drive faster than the posted speed limit which would make a potential accident even more dangerous. These steps can help reduce the number of deaths as a result of driving.

Driving accidents happen when you least expect it! I was recently driving to class and almost got into an accident. I was approaching an intersection where I was going to need to get over into the left turn lane. As I was pulling into the turn lane, the cars approaching from the other direction were slowing down. I noticed a car was approaching very fast. The driver appeared to be on their phone and did not notice that the cars ahead of them where slowing down. At the last minute the car decided to pull towards the turn lane that I was pulling into so it was headed right for me. Luckily, I had been paying attention not just to the cars ahead of me but also next to me and knew that I could pull over into the lane on my right to get out of the way. So I pulled over to the right and managed to get out of the way just before the car would have hit me head-on. I was so shaken that I got to a place as soon as I could so that I could take a few deep breaths and calm down before I drove on. I called my mom and talked to her for a bit before restarting my car and continuing to drive to class.

As a driver, there are a few steps that I can take to be a better and safer driver and to help those around me to be safer. The first step that I can do is always make sure that I give myself plenty of time to get to my destination so that I can be more focused on the road and my surroundings. This would also decrease the likelihood of me driving faster than the posted speed limit. Another step I could take is to make sure that I do not use my phone to call or text while driving. In order to help others, I can make sure that I don’t call or text my friends when I know they are driving and to remind them that it’s okay if they can’t answer their phone or reply to my text right away because I’d prefer that they were safe than out themselves and others in danger by reaching for their phone while driving. This would keep me and my friends from being distracted while driving so that we decrease the chances of an accident happening, thus reducing the number of deather as a result of driving. The next step I can take to keep myself and others safe while driving is to not drive while under the influence. While I am too young now, I will turn 21 in about a year and a half. At that time, should I go out to drink, I will either have a designated driver or use a ride share option such as Uber to get home. This step will keep me and other drivers on the road safe. I will also not allow my friends to drive while intoxicated. I will either volunteer to be their designated driver or insist on calling them an Uber to get home, even if it means I have to pay for it. The final step I can take is to always make sure that I am aware of my surroundings. This will allow me to potentially anticipate when an accident is about to happen and be able to react to hopefully avoid any collision. These steps can help make me a better driver and help others to be safer on the road so that we can reduce the number of automobile related deaths.