Savings Lives One Driver At a Time

Teens
are 10 times more likely to be in a fatal car accident than adults.
This is why it’s very important to teach them how to drive safely
because it reduces the risk of danger for their lives, and the lives
of others on the road as well. By educating young drivers before they
hit the road for the first time, will help to reduce the number of
deaths significantly. To reduce the number of deaths related to
driving, we must first get to the root of the issue, the causes of
car accidents. The top causes of car accidents are distracted
driving, speeding, and drunk driving. I think that by putting
measures in place to prevent these actions from happening in the
first place, we can reduce the number of car accidents that happen on
our roads throughout the United States. Similar to how babies and
toddlers model what they see others do, teens will likely model the
behavior of their parents. I believe that parents play a huge role in
influencing young drivers’ behavior. By modeling safe driving
techniques such as not using electronics, or multitasking while
driving, parents of teens who are learning to drive can set a great
example for their kids. Furthermore, drunk driving is another top
cause of car accidents, and it isn’t always a learned behavior. The
CDC reports that high
school students drive intoxicated about 2.4 million times each month,
and underage drivers are 17% more likely to be involved in a fatal
car crash with alcohol in their system. A way to prevent this issue
would be to require breathalyzer tests for all drivers at the exits
of parties, bars, nightclubs, and anywhere else where there may be
intoxicated young adults. This may sound tedious, but even if it only
saves one person’s life that night, it would be worth it. I am
blessed and grateful that neither I nor any of my close family
members have ever been in a car accident. Whether it be my friends,
family members, or even myself sometimes, I have witnessed
irresponsible driving on many occasions. When I am in the car with
someone who is driving very unsafe, I typically try to inform them of
their behavior because they are endangering the lives of everyone, in
the car and those on the road as well as themselves. Even though it
may be awkward or irritating sometimes, I still advise them because
they may or may not be aware of how dangerous their actions are. To
prevent myself from practicing unsafe driving habits, I typically
make any adjustments or send any messages I need to before I begin
driving so that I won’t be distracted when I am on the road.
Additionally, if I have to make important calls while driving, I use
the hands-free feature in my car to do so. If there is something that
requires more attention, I will pull over, so that it has my complete
focus and attention. As far as encouraging others to drive safely, I
try to inform them of how their actions can impact the lives of
others on the road by showing my friends and family members stories,
statistics, and news reports of accidents caused by distracted
driving. If we all take the pledge to keep our entire focus on the
road while driving, we can prevent so many accidents and fatalities
from happening.