Take Driver Education and Save A Life

According to the World Health Organization, car accidents claim approximately 1.3 million lives a year. Speeding, driving under the influence, and texting while driving are among the top causes of crashes, all of which are preventable. Many may think that as long as they are a safe driver, they will be fine, but in reality, this is not the case. Car crashes affect everyone, not just the people inside the vehicle. On average, fifty percent of the deaths are drivers, fifteen percent are passengers, and fifteen percent are pedestrians. This is why promoting and participating in driver education is so important. It provides drivers with the necessary skills and attitudes they need to keep themselves and others safe on the road, ultimately reducing the number of vehicle-related deaths each year.

One of the most common types of car accidents is a rear-end collision. This occurs when a forward-moving vehicle crashes into the back of another vehicle. In rear-end collisions, the severity of injuries varies with the speed of impact. Even at low speeds, these accidents can lead to severe injuries or even death. Typically, the driver who gets rear-ended is at greater risk. The impact transfers force to your car and body, causing sudden, violent movements of the head and neck without time to brace. This can result in various spinal injuries, including harm to internal organs due to their forceful displacement, possibly causing internal damage. When conditions are severe, organs may rip or rupture, resulting in internal bleeding. However, all of this can be prevented by completing one simple safety step and keeping a safe distance, about three seconds, behind the vehicle ahead of you. Another very common type of accident is a single-vehicle accident. This occurs when a single vehicle collides with road barriers, poles, debris, or animals. These are often even more dangerous than a rear-ended collision, with injuries ranging from minor bruises to instant fatalities.

These are just two of the many types of accidents that occur each year. Did you know that up to ninety percent of these accidents are preventable? Think about how many lives ninety percent fewer accidents would save! One of those lives could be someone you love. Although my family and I are fortunate enough to have never been in any sort of severe accident thus far, I will one-hundred percent be participating in and promoting driver’s education, as I could not even imagine the pain of losing a loved one, let alone to a preventable accident. Furthermore, not only can reckless driving impact you physically and emotionally, it can also impact you legally. Drivers in Canada can face speeding fines up to twelve-thousand and this would be getting off easy. Many severe cases of reckless driving result in loss of license or even jail time.

I have recently taken driver’s education in preparation for my G2, and it taught me about the many steps that can be taken to make each and every one of us a better driver, ultimately reducing the number of deaths on the road. Learning about road safety and how to drive responsibly through this education most definitely made me a more cautious driver! The first step you can practice is reducing your speed to the speed limit. Speeding lengthens the time it takes for a driver to respond after seeing an emergency on the road. Once a motorist begins to brake, it increases the distance needed to stop the vehicle. It also raises the chance that an evasive steering maneuver will cause a loss of control. Secondly, do not drive while distracted. Studies show that distracted drivers contribute to twenty to thirty percent of all motor vehicle collisions. This usually comes in the form of texting while driving. If someone looks at their phone while driving, their focus is no longer on the road. Their performance is then impaired, leaving them with a slower reaction time, often leading to accidents. Thirdly, do not drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Of all the causes of fatalities while driving, this is the biggest and most preventable culprit. Driving while intoxicated impairs a driver’s reaction time, visual, cognitive, and motor skills, as well as their judgment and risk-taking ability. There are many alternatives to driving intoxicated. Next time you feel like getting in your car drunk after a party and driving home because you “feel fine”, instead, carpool with a designated driver, walk, sleepover, or call an uber. Fourthly, keep your distance. You should stay at least 3 seconds behind the vehicle in front of you at all times so that you can stop safely if needed. This rule is almost always broken when a rear-ended collision occurs. Finally, wear your seatbelt. This may not save your passengers or the people in the other vehicle, but it could save you. A seatbelt can protect you from being ejected from your vehicle in an accident, which is almost always deadly. Taking the two seconds it takes to put on your seatbelt can cut your risk of fatality nearly in half.

Each and every driver reading this essay has a personal responsibility for the actions and choices they make behind the wheel. Take driver education today and save lives.