Name: Christine Knippa
From: San Antonio, Texas
Votes: 0
The
Issue of Distracted Driving
When
it’s first discovered that more people die due to driving accidents
yearly than those who died in war in both Iraq and Afghanistan, it
comes as quite a shock. The first thing that pops into my mind is the
question of what we’re doing wrong as a whole. When one gets their
license, it comes with a great sense of freedom and pride. However,
before an individual is allowed to obtain their license, more likely
than not they will be required to complete a drivers ed
course. Drivers ed is one of the most important,
information-filled stages in earning a driver’s license as it
brings awareness to driving laws and stresses the importance of
driving responsibly.
One of the main
things most teens in America look forward to as they approach their
16th birthday is earning the privilege to drive. Thankfully, before
they’re allowed to do so, they must complete a drivers ed
course. These courses ensure that people are aware of driving laws
and etiquette such as right of way, highway lane usage, speed limits,
and road signs. It is because of drivers ed that I, a
16-year-old driver, understand and acknowledge speed limits and other
road laws in Texas; without a drivers ed course I would be
absolutely clueless in a lot of situations on the road. With this
being said, however, a large majority of teenagers refuse to
understand the importance and significance of these courses, and
don’t pay nearly enough attention. This is where we start seeing
those accidents that are caused by such careless mistakes, such as
reckless driving. If you simply drive in a high school parking lot or
around the area of a high school after school, you witness very
unsettling events: running red lights and stop signs, unnecessary
honking, and genuine lack of manners. It is without a doubt that
these small factors lead to accidents on roads and highways.
Another reason why
drivers ed is important is because it stresses the
importance of responsible driving. In the state of Texas, you are
required to take a course that discusses driving under the influence.
This course is a main reason why I ensure I drive responsibly; you do
not want to put your own family or other people’s families through
the death of their loved ones due to such a simple, careless mistake.
With options such as Uber, Lyft, and even access to a designated
driver makes it such an avoidable mistake that would prevent lots of
deaths that happen on U.S. roads and highways.
There are countless
amounts of precautions everybody can take to ensure they are driving
responsibly. For example, every time I drive I put my phone on do not
disturb. Whoever is texting or calling me can wait; no conversation
or text has more value than one’s life. Whatever is happening on
your phone can wait however long it needs to. 21% of distracted
drivers were distracted by their phones, and if everybody stopped
using their phones while driving all together there would be a
significant decrease in the number of crashes.
