Name: Cierah Greene
From: Florence, AL
Votes: 0
As
productive adults we strive to be proactive rather than reactive.
That’s why we exercise, double check the locks on our homes,and
teach children about ‘stranger danger’. We endorse a forward
thinking mentality for so many things in our lives, but fall short on
a growing problem. When you leave a family member or friend’s
house, you tell them that you’ll let them know when you make it
home safely, only hinting at the danger of the road.
Globally,
approximately 1.24 million people will die in a car crash this year,
40,000 of which reside in the U.S. In 2018 America saw only a 1%
decrease in auto-related deaths from 2017 and 2016. Yes we text our
family that we’ve arrived safely at home, but it’s time to
properly address this issue both at home and institutionally.
Opportunities to promote safe driving at home are abundant.
Invite
others to hold you accountable when you speed or don’t wear your
seatbelt, including children. Share your knowledge of safe driving
through narration on drives. Explain why you’re leaving a space
cushion between you and the car ahead of you. If you have a child
already driving age, take full advantage of the safety features and
apps available to us. These steps are important,but can only go so
far without some institutional changes to how we currently approach
regulation and safety.
A
fact worth mentioning is that European countries typically rank as
the safest in terms of auto-related deaths and injuries, which can be
attributed to their approach to driving. In some regions the minimum
age to drive is 18 and students must complete a more all-encompassing
training. DUI laws are a bit different also.Some Euopean countries
have limits as low as .01% while merican limits vary from .05%- .08%.
A step in the right direction we may take is to mimic these rules and
regulations. Other area of review are the covert factors that cause
people to be unsafe. Consider an area with an abundance of bars, but
little taxi or ridesharing options or cities that fail to salt roads
before a snow storm. Safety is a multifaceted issue needing creative
multifaceted solutions.
In
June of 2012 I was in a car accident which miraculously claimed the
life of noone. Our jeep flipped on a New Jersey bridge when a driver
veered into our lane. We sustained minor injuries, but we live as
testaments to the panic of not receiving the ‘I’m home’ text.
As 2020: the year of clarity quickly approaches it is time for us to
be innovative about our safety. This new age of technology is taking
shape around us and with it comes a new age of cars and ideas of
transportation. Let us take action if not for ourselves, then for the
generation that follows. Let’s create a future where the ‘I’m
home’ text is always received.
