Drive Smarter

Bright car headlights. Piercing horns. Cars skidding, sliding, then suddenly…

Crash.

The road is a dangerous place. Driver education is very important in reducing the number of deaths that occur as a result of driving. When drivers know how to drive safely and protect others, it is less likely for accidents to occur. For example, if a driver knows that motorcycle accidents are common in intersections, they will know to be aware when making a turn. Another example would be the importance of seatbelts. If a driver does not know that seatbelts can protect everyone in the car, then they might not bother to buckle up, leading to a potential increased number of deaths as a result of poor driver education. If drivers know the consequences of unsafe driving and choose to educate themselves on road safety, they can help keep not only themselves but also everyone on the road from becoming yet another statistic for road related deaths.

In order to reduce the number of injuries and deaths related to driving, drivers should give themselves plenty of time to get where they need to go. If someone has a business meeting to get to, they should give themselves several extra minutes to get there. That way, if they get behind a salt truck or have to wait for road work, they won’t get impatient and try something dangerous to avoid being late. Leaving early can keep drivers from rushing on the road and from making careless choices for the sake of promptness. Being a bit tardy is not a good reason to risk your and others’ lives.

Another way to reduce the number of driving related deaths would be to educate not only drivers on safety, but also pedestrians, bikers, and motorcyclists, as driving related deaths include more than just those in the car. When we picture car accidents, we likely tend to think of two cars colliding. But car accidents can include anyone who has been injured as a result of a vehicle, whether they were in the car or not. So please, be careful on the road, whether you are a driver or merely crossing the road on your way to work.

Road conditions are also important when it comes to driving. Drivers should be aware of whether it is safe for them to be driving and take care when there is black ice on the road, when it is night, when it is raining, and any other circumstances in which there are increased risks of unsafe roads.

In addition, drivers should be aware of how they are feeling. Are they too tired to make wise decisions on the road? Do they need to pull over and rest? Have they taken any prescriptions that would decrease their ability to safely operate a vehicle? Drivers should take all these, and more, into consideration when driving. Drivers need to be responsible and realize when they need to stay off the road.

While I have never been in a car accident myself, I have been in scenarios where drivers were not acting with care. Usually this includes someone looking at their phone while driving. One time I was in a van with several other people, and the driver was continuously looking at their cell phone for directions or reading messages from others. This made all of us nervous, but more importantly, it made it dangerous for the people in the car and everyone else on the road, as well as risking a deadly accident. To help someone in this kind of scenario, people in the car can offer to work the GPS or communicate for the driver in order that he or she may focus on the road and help create a safer road environment.

There are many steps I can take in order to be a better and safer driver. I can watch for pedestrians and be careful around other drivers. I can give myself plenty of time to leave when I need to get somewhere. I can avoid road rage and buzzed driving. I can make sure everyone in the car, including myself, is buckled up before leaving the driveway. I can also make sure I use crosswalks and be aware when I cross the street. I can help others become safer on the road by kindly advising them to put their phone down while driving, by helping them keep an eye out for deer at dusk, and by pointing out pedestrians and motorcyclists. I can help them know how to drive safely. If we all do this, we can make the road a safer place.