Shark Attack or Driving?

Did you know that you are 33,000 times more likely to die in a car accident than die in a shark attack?

Driving is one of the most dangerous activities that we participate in willingly. It claims more lives than any animal attack, surprisingly though we regard animal attacks as more dangerous. This perspective can be attributed to driving being ingrained in our society for the past century, creating a false sense of confidence in its safety. Young adults especially feel this overconfidence and partake in other activities which make this already dangerous activity much more deadly. It is disheartening to see so many young people with their entire life ahead of them die because of a simple choice to not be focused. 

Driver’s education allows us to learn vital information that will protect the natural order that driving comes with. If someone who is ignorant of the rules drives, it puts everyone else in danger. That is why it is crucial that everyone on the road learns the rules and regulations of driving. This alone will prevent so many unnecessary deaths. By following simple rules like staying in your own lane, indicating when switching lanes, always keeping 100% awareness, and being able to react to other drivers we can keep roads safe. These seem simple but when put in practice are hard to achieve which is why everyone is required to attend drivers education. It allows for a safe environment where you can make mistakes and correct them before getting into a real incident. 

There are so many distractions that can break your focus while driving but the number one culprit has to be phones. It is easy to get engrossed in what is on your phone and lose awareness of their surroundings which puts the driver and others at massive risk of an accident. Therefore, the number one way to reduce deaths while driving is for everyone to get off their phone. No matter how good you think you are at reading messages and driving, it never ends well so don’t let it get into an accident. Another big reason for death while driving is intoxicated driving. It is so easy to think you are sober enough to drive but even if you have just had a little bit of alcohol, you shouldn’t drive. All it takes is one mistake to completely change your life and there is no reason to take that risk. There are so many alternatives like Uber, Lift, or even just calling a friend. These services should discount prices at closing times of bars in order to encourage more use of them instead of drunk driving.

I have been in a car accident once before while my mom was driving. We were driving on a straight road and a car at the intersection took a left turn even though it was red for them. I am not sure why the driver decided to take this action but what I can notice is that the driver lacked awareness of the road. Luckily both parties involved were okay and did not need serious help. However, I still remember the confusion and fear in my mom’s eyes when we got into the accident. It is crazy to think how if the situation was a slight bit different, our lives could be completely different.

The first step I can do to become a better driver is to be more aware of my immediate surroundings especially during lane changes. I sometimes have a bad habit of glancing very quickly and I realize after that I made lane changes without fully processing what was in that lane. What I can do in the future is fully process what is happening in the next lane and check my blind spot before I switch lanes. Next, I can continue to remain distraction free while driving. I do a good job of keeping my phone away, but I can do a better job of not switching radio channels while I am driving. Finally, I can help others be safer on the roads by not driving rashly. I should not switch lanes too often and instead should be more patient and understanding of their circumstances.

         In conclusion, driving is a dangerous task that everyone needs to get through to live their daily lives, but we can make it a safer activity by making a conscious choice to stay focused on the road. With increased drivers education and an increased focus on awareness while driving, we can make the roads a safer place for everyone.