Name: Audrey Oscarson
From: Bellingham, WA
Votes: 0
Audrey
Oscarson
6/2/19
Education
for Safety
“Hey
babe, what are you up to?” she said, answering her phone from the
couch. A smile grew across her face when she saw his face, the inside
of the car in the background
“Just
driving to the store. Need anything?” he asked, his arm briefly
covering the camera as he made a tight turn.
“I
don’t think so. I’m just excited for tonight.”
“Me
too. I’ll see you-” But his voice was cut of by the screeching of
tires and crunch of metal, and his phone fell to the floor, coming to
rest with only a broken windshield visible on her screen.
Driving
is a task that is often taken for granted. Many see it as just a way
to get from one place to another, and the daily task has become so
mundane that many forget the gravity of the activity. In a split
second, life can be destroyed because of a simple mistake.
Education
is a vital component to reducing the number of injuries and
fatalities related to driving. When it comes to new drivers, knowing
the laws of the road and knowing how to drive safely can be the
difference between life and death. Precautions taught in driving
safety classes, such as checking mirrors regularly and leaving ample
following distance increase the safety of new drivers. For teenagers,
two of the most important things to do while driving are follow the
rules about how many passengers can be transported in one car and not
having a cell phone in hand. Distractions from friends and cell
phones can be deadly, creating distractions and social pressure to
make reckless choices, endangering the lives of the drivers and those
in the car with them.
Almost
every teen has been affected by reckless driving, some more seriously
than others. I have friends who drive aggressively, speeding in
neighborhoods and racing through stop signs. It’s seen as cool to
go fast and not many teens see the danger. Changing this mentality is
vital to creating a safer generation of drivers. But the problem is
not just with teen drivers. I have almost been hit in a crosswalk by
adults who believed they had the right of way when they didn’t.
Education for all ages is important. Instead of only taking a
drivers ed class as a teen, adults should be required to
take a class or test periodically to refresh safe driving skills and
learn new traffic regulations. For example, there are many drivers in
my town that do not know how to use a roundabout, and because of the
increase in roundabouts, many dangerous situations are created. If
there was a required way to make sure everyone knew how to use
roundabouts, there would be fewer endangering situations.
Driving
is not something to be taken lightly and can be deadly, but education
for all can reduce the deaths related to ignorant drivers. Changing
mindsets about reckless driving and disregard or ignorance about the
law will make safer drivers.
