Changing lives to the better end

There are many reasons why being safe and educated while driving is important. Nowadays, “There were 39,508 fatal motor vehicle crashes in the United States in 2021, in which 42,939 deaths occurred,” the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) states. That in itself is a scary number to see when seeing how many motor vehicle deaths occurred in 2021. The importance of driver education to reduce the number of deaths as a result of driving is significant. It is important to be aware of how to reduce the number of driving-related accidents.

Moreover, there are many steps that can be taken to reduce the number of deaths related to driving. To start, we can educate people on the topic of safety while driving. To keep in mind, before people get their driver’s license, they have to take a permit test to showcase their knowledge of driving. For this reason, it shows that most people know, at least during that time, that they understand what is wrong and what is right. This goes to show that educational values can go a long way. Equally important, we know that you always need to buckle your seatbelt. But does everyone do that? No. However, if the driver can insist on buckling their seat belt, it can help encourage buckling seat belts. Furthermore, the Motor Vehicle Safety Division of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that it reduces the risk of death and injury by nearly 50%. which, in these cases, can help save lives.

To continue, another step to help reduce the number of deaths related to driving is not using your phone. As we all know, you cannot use your phone while driving, but we still see people doing that. In this case, speaking from my experience, I have been in situations where the driver is using their phone. For example, one of my family members was driving and was using their phone when a car in front of them stopped suddenly. We felt the most impact when they slammed their brakes because they were distracted and reacted a bit late. If my family member hadn’t reacted quickly, there could have been a very different event that would have occurred. Nowadays, we see a lot of people with electronics and a lot more distractions when driving. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), driving while texting is six times more dangerous than drunk driving. This goes to show that electronics are taking a toll on drivers who use their electronics when driving.

Therefore, there should be stricter laws placed to help prevent any more accidents that are caused by using electronics while driving. Now I am being educated on the steps I can take to be a better and safer driver as well as help others become safer on the road. To be able to take the time to better myself as a driver, I can drive without any distractions. Without distractions, you make yourself and those around you safer since you are consciously involved in the moment. As well as encouraging those around me to not use their phones and buckle their seatbelts. Even though for some it might be something harmless, it can definitely go a long, positive way.

Moreover, another thing that I can do to help others become safer on the road is to do my best to educate them. By educating them, it can help them see things differently in ways that can simultaneously help them and those around them. For example, telling them the importance of not using their phones when driving, maintaining a safe following distance, or reminding them to use their blinkers. In addition, by giving someone information on the dangers of using their phone while driving, it can help them rethink about their actions and decisions. To add on, when reminding someone to use their blinkers can help many around. By emphasizing the importance of day-to-day usage of blinkers, it can improve someone’s ability to use their blinkers.

All in all, everyone can help each other to become a safer driver and to those around them. When you are able to educate people on the value of how their “normal” driving methods can be dangerous, it can take a different direction to help them see what they can improve on. Thus, if we can help people see that they are able to change their driving patterns, it can save lives. Moreover, understanding ways to lessen the amount of collisions involving vehicles is crucial.

Citations:

State by state. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Highway Loss Data Institute: U.S. Department of Transportation’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System, Posted May 2023.

Vergnano, Mark P. How Do We Prevent Motor Vehicle Deaths? February 18, 2019.