Name: Claira Laughlin-Foster
From: Bloomington, Indiana
Votes: 0
If
driving education were mandatory in schools, it would help keep
students informed, so they would be less likely to become another
victim to the deaths caused by car accidents. If we also made
drivers ed, that so in teaching eligible teenagers how to
drive with a professional in a safe environment, mandatory and free
in schools, we would help bring down the number of accidents because
people would be taught the correct way to drive in order to avoid
accidents.
To
reduce the number of deaths related to driving we can inform our
future drivers of the risks of driving and teach them how to drive
properly. While this would decrease the death count on its own, we
can also use advertising methods to spread the word about the dangers
of texting and driving and drunk driving. These are already targeted,
but if they became frowned upon by all of society, and not just the
people who are supportive of safety, we would stop more people from
being reckless drivers and save more lives.
I
have been in a car accident, and many times witnessed reckless
driving. When I was in 8th grade, I was riding my bike across an
intersection and as I crossed, the light turned green for the
oncoming traffic. One truck driver mindlessly drove forward as soon
as he saw the green light and didn’t see me, knocking me off my
bike and breaking my hip, giving me road rash all over, and knocking
me unconscious. I am beyond grateful to still be alive and wouldn’t
wish this on anyone else, but I learned a valuable lesson from this.
I am now very cautious as I get behind my own wheel, and it took me
many years to be brave enough to do so. But this made me a safer
driver and I am thankful for that. As for witnessing reckless
driving, I grew up in a home with alcohol and drugs, and was driven
to school many times with an intoxicated driver. I thankfully never
got into any type of crash due to this, but as soon as I got my
license I would take the wheel from my parents and not allow them to
drive while intoxicated.
I
think the best advice to be a safer driver is to simple just be
informed and be aware of your surroundings. If you are informed on
the laws of driving, then you know what is right or wrong, or legal
and illegal, and know how to follow these rules. Now while knowing
all the rules yourself makes you a safer driver, it does not make
others a safer driver. You will get into situations where the other
person is intoxicated, texting, or just driving recklessly and you
need to be aware and cautious. If you are aware of these drivers,
then you will keep your distance and be able to react if they make a
poor decision that could result in an accident.
