
Name: Kaila Bloom
From: Andover, Massachusetts
Votes: 0
Driving Toward Safety
Since I was a little kid, I was always so scared to drive. My parents have never gotten in any kind of accident, but I understood how much could go wrong when sitting behind the wheel. As I got older, I knew what an important and valuable skill being able to drive safely was and my friends started driving me around and I wished I could have their confidence. Some of my peers, however, had a little too much confidence. Everyone had heard the stories of the one who drove into a pole, the one who hydroplaned and totaled his car, the one who was drunk and drove into a fence. I knew I would be a much more responsible driver than them, but I was still so scared. How was I supposed to go from not being able to drive to being able to drive? How could I feel comfortable driving without any experience at all?
The most helpful was driver education lessons. I started with my online, week-long instructional course. I learned the foundations of safe driving, like hand positions, road signs, and accident avoidance techniques. After getting my permit, I had my first day on the road. I got better and better with every turn, and once I was somewhat comfortable with maneuvering, I began my on-road lessons. In these sessions, I gained so much knowledge, and in turn, confidence. I was able to figure out what I was good at and what I needed to improve. After hundreds of stop signs, three-point turns, and parallel parks, I was prepared for my road test.
But educating myself as a driver wasn’t just to pass a test and get my license—it was to keep myself safe. DriveSmart Georgia found that driver education reduces crashes by 4.3% and convictions by almost half. Additionally, those with greater education scored higher on the driving exam, and more importantly, maintained greater knowledge over time than those without these lessons. Yet so many still don’t take driver’s education seriously. In Massachusetts, taking lessons isn’t mandated once you are eighteen, so many wait to avoid the time, effort, and cost. But this small sacrifice is much better than that of a crash—or worse, a death. The skills learned in these courses are vital to being a safe driver.
Other than taking a drivers’ education course, you can stay safe by being aware of the most common causes of crashes, especially as a teenager. Being between 16 and 19 years old alone increases your risk of a fatal car crash by almost three times that of adults. Due to inexperience, car crashes are the top killer of teens, causing about one third of deaths. And non-fatal car crashes are even more common, with first year drivers having a likelihood of 1,000% more than other age groups. More than 40% of these happened during the night or on weekends because of more distractions. With this in mind, teens must be aware of their inexperience and take even more precautions every time they take the wheel.
But being an adult doesn’t make you immune from accidents either. About 95% of all crashes are caused by human error. These mistakes include distracted driving, drunk driving, speeding, running red lights, and emotional stresses. Being distracted on the road is often associated with texting, but it can also be eating, talking, or listening to music, as our brains cannot multitask as well as we may think. Driving while drunk causes an average of 32 deaths per day. If you are to drink, don’t drive, have a friend who is not drinking drive you, or call an Uber. Many crashes are also caused by a distressed mental state. Stress or anger may cause more speeding, running red lights, and aggressive or reckless driving. Another factor is drowsiness from lack of sleep, which may make someone less aware of their surroundings, and in the most dangerous case, cause them to fall asleep while driving. More than mental conditions, a driver must be physically well enough to drive. Be mindful of changes in vision, hearing, height, weight, and flexibility. If you take any medications, be aware of how it may impact your ability to concentrate while driving. In addition, your vehicle must support your body, so making sure you can see around it without being crammed inside such that you can pivot freely. Even though it can get expensive, there are certain essentials for maintaining your car’s safety; mirrors, airbags, seat belts, and anti-lock brakes are non-negotiables. And even if money is tight, especially for teenagers, there are several inexpensive additions you can make to improve your car’s safety. Mirror extenders, third-party backing cameras, and pedal extenders are all great options to improve your vehicle and driving experience.
As you get more experienced with driving, there are some more advanced techniques to keep you even safe. Drive defensively, anticipating what others may do by looking at cues. While you can’t always tell what another driver is going to do, there are behavioral patterns that can help you predict it. When driving, try making a conscious effort to develop your skills. Having a license doesn’t always mean you’re good at driving. Think about things you do well and things you should work on so that you can improve.
So before you drive, make a mental checklist: Are my mirrors adjusted? Is my seat belt fastened? Am I in a good mental and physical state to drive? And even when you aren’t driving, take responsibility for your own safety. Make sure this is a responsible driver, be aware, especially with new drivers, and don’t be afraid to speak up if they aren’t driving safely. By taking these steps, we can decrease the number of crashes and deaths, and improve the safety of anyone on the road.