Name: Meredith Rosenberg
From: Overland Park, Kansas
Votes: 615
14 years old. An
age, in my home state, that permits young adults to begin their
driving journey. Excited and anxious to have a sense of liberty, the
majority of eligible 14 year-olds complete all necessary requirements
as quickly as possible in order to hit the roads sooner. But, are
teens so caught up in the whirl wind of excitement that comes with
the possibility of driving independently that they forget to pay
attention to potentially life-saving driving tips, strategies, and
rules? If so, how can we combat this issue?
Teenagers are
infamously known to be imperfect. While it is perfectly normal for
teenagers to make mistakes, young drivers are especially susceptible
to automobile accidents. In fact, the age group
that
has the highest rates
of deaths
in crashes are
the 16-17 year-olds. A very plausible reasoning as to why this age
group may be responsible for high crash rates could be due to their
ignorance to driving rules and requirements. Surely, gaining
independence is exhilarating, however, teens may become so absorbed
in their eagerness to drive that they fail to recall imperative
driving rules.
Driver
education is single-handedly the most important tool all drivers can
utilize to reduce the tragically high number of deaths that result
from automobile accidents. Drivers ed not only teaches aspiring
drivers the rules of the road, it also preaches the importance of
non-distracted, sober, and smart driving. Knowing that speeding,
alcohol or drug use, and distractions are the leading causes of fatal
automobile accidents, it is vital that all drivers are aware, up to
date, and knowledgeable about safe driving habits.
In
order to effectively educate all driving participants, I firmly
believe that drivers should be required to take an exam entailing
various aspects of driving rules every five years. This way, drivers
remain up to date on their driving knowledge and will execute the
rules in their daily driving. Additionally, I believe all new drivers
should be required to read a story that depicts the events of a
distracted, speeding, or under the influence automobile accident that
ultimately ends with a fatal outcome. This way, drivers will remember
the tragic story and will therefore refrain from participating in
these behaviors when they drive, as humans respond to emotional
stimulation.
Luckily, I
have never been involved in a major car accident. However, I have
witnessed many close-calls with friends all involving distracted
diving. From these experiences, I’ve learned that I should never
distract myself in any way while driving. I know that anything from a
song to a phone call can wait until I have reached my destination. I
can take precautions by placing my phone out of sight while driving,
creating a driving playlist, or putting my phone on silent while
driving. I advise all drivers to take these steps as well, as these
simple actions can alter the outcome of many lives; I plan on
promoting this advice through social media and school newspapers.
